Stray From What You Are
by sparrow30
Summary: When Dominant political advisor Sebastian Smythe hears from his submissive Blaine Anderson that Crown Prince Kurt Hummel has begun his search for a consort, he sees a perfect opportunity for a bit of social climbing. What he doesn't see is the small print; there's a lot more to this union than simple politics, and things are about to get very interesting indeed. Sebklaine FantasyAU
1. Chapter 1

All things considered, Sebastian thought to himself as he crossed the 't' of Smythe and signed off on the document in front of him with an overly-extravagant flourish, he had things pretty damn good.

After all, there weren't many twenty-three year olds who could claim that they were singularly responsible for one of the largest estates in the Aldern Kingdom; a prosperous realm with bustling trade links and a depressingly high average life expectancy, at least as far as the socially mobile were concerned. Then again, Sebastian had never really been one to settle for anything less than absolutely everything.

As a second Dom of a recently elevated household, Sebastian's story should probably have been one of working day after day to finish the current year marginally better than the one before it - a valuable social connection here, an extra acre of land there. But Sebastian's ambitions had always been far too large to fit inside the claustrophobic boundaries of the Smythe holding, and over the years he had worked, bargained and yes, on occasion, flirted his way up the political ladder until he was comfortably settled in amongst the clouds with the birds, political advisor to the Worthington estate; it didn't get much better than that. Some would probably have called him mercenary - personally Sebastian prefered pragmatic.

And of course, if the stress of the high-flying life ever got too much for him...well that was why he had Blaine.

Settling back in his (expensive, mahogany) desk chair, he spread his legs slightly wider and reached his free hand down to tangle his fingers in curly hair, breathing softly in appreciation as hot lips slid further down his dick in response. "The farm-hands down Littlewoods Way have lost a rotation's worth of crops due to bad weather. I'll allocate them an extra furlong next rotation and let them make it up to us rather than take it out of their wages. Never let it be said that Smythes aren't compassionate. Do you think I'm compassionate Blaine?"

Blaine obediently slipped off his cock and tilted his head upward to address him, eyes shining brightly and tongue darting over his spit-slick lips as he replied. "Yes Master, of course you are. Please Master, may I continue?"

Sebastian did not respond immediately, taking a long moment to simply take in the view of his sub in front of him, kneeling naked in such a perfect position of submission between his legs. From his vantage point he could clearly see the way the muscles in Blaine's back flexed as he clasped his hands behind him, head tipped skyward as he waited patiently for Sebastian's response, only his laboured breathing and the quick rise and fall of his chest betraying his less-than-calm emotional state.

Sebastian sometimes caught himself wondering how differently things might have turned out if the Smythes had never formed that uneasy alliance with the Andersons all those years back; what would have happened if the obvious pairing between two childhood friends hadn't presented itself as mutually beneficial for the two socially-climbing houses? Would his family have still respected his orientation as well as his designation, and matched him with a nice boy from one of the neighbouring houses surrounding the Smythe holding? Or would they have simply seen his Dominant designation as a means to further their house connections, Sebastian's preferences be damned? In another life Sebastian could be sitting in this exact household, in this exact chair, desperately trying to get hard for the Duke of Worthington's perfectly pretty, perfectly unsuitable sub of a daughter. Or maybe he would still be unclaimed, spending his free evenings with men whose submission came by the hour and for a price. One thing was for certain though, none of his other lives involved as gorgeous a sub as Blaine kneeling by his feet, watching oh-so patiently as if his whole world revolved around Sebastian's next command.

"You may." Sebastian's fingers tightened in Blaine's hair as he guided him back to his crotch, pushing Blaine's head down, down, down until his nose was nestled fully in Sebastian's lap and Sebastian could feel the tip of his cock pushing against the back of Blaine's throat. Blaine, like the perfect sub that he was, didn't even flinch at the intrusion, hollowing his cheeks and sucking around Sebastian's length exactly the way he knew his Dom liked it.

"Good Blaine, just like that. I still have four more issues to attend to before I'm done."

As Sebastian drafted a letter to Earl Charlton, custodian of a neighbouring estate that had started encroaching upon their lands, Blaine's flat tongue worked up and down his length, flicking round the ridge of his head and teasing the long vein running along its underside. While he tried to focus on constructing a rebuttal to Duke Gratton who was insisting the Worthington estate join his ill-thought-out trade embargo, Blaine moved down to toy with his balls, one hand coming up to cradle the left sac as he suckled the right in and out of his swollen lips. By the time he came to organizing the estate's winter designation ceremony, Sebastian had to admit that he was paying more attention to the way that the hot wet heat of Blaine's mouth was slipping inch by inch down his dick, slowly engulfing his length, than the attendance calculations messily scrawled on the piece of paper in front of him. Eventually he gave up completely, leaning back once again and letting the sensation of his sub servicing him overwhelm him. Blaine, clearly noticing that his Master was no longer splitting his attention between work and pleasure, doubled his efforts to bring Sebastian to climax.

When he felt the familiar heat building deep in the pit of his stomach Sebastian pulled out of Blaine's mouth, one hand coming down on Blaine's shoulder as the other started palming his cock, using Blaine's spit as natural lubricant. When Blaine whined and started forward, chasing Sebastian's length, the fingers on his shoulder squeezed down tightly, holding his sub firmly in place. "Wait there Blaine, wait right ….aaaah, there." With one final sharp tug he was coming, his release shooting out and splashing across Blaine's cheeks, nose, mouth; spurt after spurt covering every inch of Blaine's flawless tanned skin. God, there were even some droplets in his eyelashes where Blaine had instinctively closed his eyes. The hand on Blaine's shoulder, the one not still grasping at his slowly softening cock, came up to trace across Blaine's lips, smearing his come across their surface, rubbing it into them before dipping between them and allowing Blaine a small taste of his Master's release. Blaine eagerly suckled Sebastian's fingers, eyes flickering open to focus on his Dom. The picture in front of him was almost enough to get Sebastian hard again right then and there.

"Blaine, Blaine, Blaine," Sebastian tutted, voice disproving even as his touch was gentle. "What did I tell you to do Blaine?" His fingers slipped out of Blaine's mouth, curling once again though his hair.

"You said-" Blaine's breath was stilted and uneven, like it always was when he was flirting with the edges of subspace. "You said to keep Master entertained while he finished his afternoon's work."

"I did. And have I finished my work Blaine?" A pause, then a small shake of Blaine's head. "No, no I havent. How many items do I have left to deal with Blaine?" Another pause, a small crinkle of the forehead in concentration. "I'm not going to ask again, how many more items do I have?"

"One...one more Master." Sebastian could see the effort, the concentration it was taking for Blaine to answer his questions, and he tightened his grip on Blaine's hair until Blaine whined softly at the increased pressure.

"That's right Blaine, and so now you're going to have to kneel here, covered in my release, until I'm finished. Because that's what happens to bad subs who don't follow orders."

"Sorry, I'm sorry Master, I'll be better next time." Blaine's eyes were glistening, the emotion rising high behind their surface. Sebastian reached out to stroke the pad of his thumb across Blaine's cheekbone, smearing his mark even further across his sub.

"I know you will, because you're mine, and everything of mine is perfect, isn't it Blaine?"

"Yes Master, oh god yes."

* * *

Sebastian made sure to take his time finishing off the last item on his agenda, enjoying the small moans that came in fits and bursts from underneath his desk. Blaine was far too good a sub to make any sort of large movement when his Master had clearly told him to wait patiently, but he couldn't quite help the short, hastily aborted whimpers that signposted to Sebastian just how desperate Blaine was getting. Once, just once, Sebastian broke his facade of casual indifference to take a quick glance down at his beautifully naked sub, kneeling by his feet with his cock jutting proudly in front of him and his Master's come slowly drying in streaks across his face. The sight was almost enough to make Sebastian throw the remainder of his work out the window. Almost.

Turning back to the piece of paper in front of him, Sebastian struggled to decipher the practically illegible scrawls he himself had written not fifteen minutes earlier. Damn, he really had been distracted. With a small sigh he dragged his mind out from underneath his desk, and forced himself to get his head back in the game. The winter designation ceremony was one of the biggest events of the estate's calendar, and if Sebastian got it wrong then the duke would have his skin, or worse, his reputation.

Officially, the designation ceremony was nothing more than a very special kind of aptitude test; one that drew a line in the sand with 'child' on one side, 'Dom', 'sub' and 'neutral' on the other. Of course, as with all big events, there was so much more to it than that.

For the lords and ladies of the larger holdings in the estate, it was an essential event in the year's calendar; the scandal of a highborn child choosing not to receive their designation would last for weeks, months if gossip was particularly slow. The ceremony was a vital opportunity to network, to investigate and determine potential matches between their offspring, and even a month before the event tensions were already starting to simmer between the twelve holdings under the guardianship of the estate. Sebastian had to be on top of any feuds well before they even hinted at getting out of hand.

"Staff of the Wandsby household have been seen riling up the Chatterington manservants at the castle market this week. We must make sure to keep an eye on those two," Sebastian spoke out loud as he jotted down a note to himself on a spare piece of paper.

"Yes, Master," he heard from underneath the table in response. Sebastian's hand stilled, and he waited for a long, definitive pause before speaking.

"Did I say you could speak, Blaine?" His voice was cold, completely devoid of emotion, and in the absolute silence of room he could clearly hear the sharp intake of breath that was Blaine's only reaction. He could practically feel Blaine teetering on the brink of subspace, desperate for the firm hand of his Dom to push him over the edge, and he made sure to play out his disappointment for just a beat longer than absolutely necessary. "That's better," he eventually responded coolly, before turning his attention back to his planning.

Now the baseborn of the estate, they were much easier to deal with. They rarely attended the ceremony, just as their offspring rarely bothered to discover their designation. Their children crossed the boundary into adulthood long before officially coming of age, and designations were commonly accepted throughout the lower classes as fanciful extravagances of the wealthy with nothing better to occupy their time. Good, one less sector of the population for Sebastian to have to worry about.

The climbers though, they were an entirely different matter; those of the baseborn who had come into a bit of money, or a small piece of land to call their own, and had decided that their children too would have their designation, and the status that came along with it. This, this was where most of Sebastian's headaches came from. He needed to accurately estimate just how many of the estate's six hundred baseborn occupants would decide to try and make the switch, and he needed to find a way to accommodate them without offending any of the lords and ladies who would rather pretend that the lower classes simply didn't exist.

Oh yes, the winter designation ceremony was the very definition of a logistical nightmare, an exercise that required keen observational skills and a near-flawless appreciation of the state of affairs within an estate. It was the event that would either make or break a political advisor, and break them it did, without compassion or mercy. Sebastian could almost hear the cries of despair throughout the land. But not him, oh no. Sebastian was good, better than good. Sebastian was a pro.

Even with the warm press of Blaine against his leg, even with the sticky sweet tang of his release in the air, for over an hour Sebastian managed to lose himself in the planning and preparation, in the numbers and the figures and the absolute focus on getting everything exactly right. And as Sebastian worked Blaine waited, his arousal only increasing as his Master all but ignored him in favour of his work.

Finally, with one last proof-read and a hastily scribbled signature, Sebastian was done. He plucked a damp towel from the pre-prepared bowl on the edge of his desk, and lazily handed it down to Blaine. "Make yourself presentable Blaine, then you may stand."

Blaine accepted the towel from his proffered hand with a quiet "Thank you, Master," and Sebastian pushed his chair away from the desk so that his sub would have space to crawl out from the footwell. As soon as Blaine was standing - on legs feeble from hours kneeling on the hard stone floor - Sebastian wrapped an arm around his sub and rewarded him with a deep, possessive kiss. He felt Blaine melting underneath him, submitting completely to Sebastian's onslaught. His tongue claimed Blaine's mouth just as the harsh pressure of his arm across Blaine's back claimed his body, his other hand coming up to grasp at Blaine's neck as he deepened the kiss. When Sebastian eventually drew away Blaine all but sagged in his arms. "Thank you, Master," he whispered again, voice fervent and honest.

Sebastian left Blaine to recover on the couch as he collected up his documents and took them to the House steward so that he could forward them on to the duke. When he returned to his quarters Blaine was bustling around the small table in the corner, setting a plate and glass in front of an impressive spread of cold cuts. When he heard Sebastian enter the room he straightened immediately, hands clasped behind his back and eyes to the floor in a picture of perfect submission. "I thought you might be hungry after working so hard, so I had the kitchen bring up some food," Blaine said demurely, still looking at the floor, but Sebastian could see the telltale signs of pride flickering across Blaine's features - the crinkle of his eyes, the flexing of his shoulders - honestly the boy was easier to read than a children's picture book.

"Good." Sebastian crossed the room and settled into the only chair set at the table, reaching across to grab a chunk of bread and some cheese. Without a word Blaine slipped into his usual spot kneeling next to Sebastian's feet, hands on his knees and head tipped upward to watch his Master. As Sebastian ate he quizzed Blaine on his day, curious about what his sub had gotten up to that morning while Sebastian had been tied up in a seemingly endless string of meetings. Blaine happily responded, telling Sebastian about the colt the stable-hands were attempting to break in, and the new cake recipe the kitchen maids were trialing for His Grace's ceremony ball. Every so often Sebastian would drop his hand down to offer a morsel of food to Blaine, who would dutifully eat it straight from his Master's fingers.

"...and of course, the whole village is buzzing about the news of his Royal Highness."

"Oh? And what news would that be?" Sebastian interrupted, vaguely curious about what story had slipped past his usually keen senses.

"That Crown Prince Kurt Hummel is coming of age next month, and is starting the search for a political consort." Blaine's brow crinkled in confusion, "I'm sorry, Master, I assumed you knew."

"I've been very busy with the affairs of this estate Blaine, I don't have the time or the desire to entertain idle gossip, you know that." Sebastian chided, withdrawing the hunk of cheese he had been about to offer Blaine and popping it in his own mouth instead, chewing slowly as he pondered this new piece of information.

"Of course Master, I should have thought," Blaine replied, pausing for a moment as if choosing his next words carefully. "Would Master consider applying for the role?"

Sebastian paused as he considered what Blaine was suggesting, taking a second to turn the idea over in his brain. Political consort to the crown was a huge step up from his current role as simple advisor to an estate - no matter how large or how esteemed that estate might be. It was the ultimate pinnacle of his career path; a role any advisor could reasonably be expected to work toward their entire life. Indeed, it was something Sebastian himself had daydreamed about on more than one occasion, but now? Now that there was the potential for this daydream to actually become a reality? Well, that made things far more interesting.

"Hmmm, political consort is a big decision. You know it wouldn't be like what we have now. I'd be committing myself to the realm, and the prince, almost indefinitely, and of course as my sub you would as well." Sebastian twisted to look at Blaine, one eyebrow raised questioningly. "Is that what you're really asking Blaine? Are you looking to get into our dashing Prince's pants?" Sebastian smirked as Blaine blushed and immediately lowered his gaze.

"I think that's what you really want, isn't it Blaine?" Sebastian continued, watching as his sub squirmed under the intensity of his gaze. "To be taken and used and enjoyed by the Crown Prince of the realm? Do you think you'd be good enough for him Blaine? Do you think you have the skills to pleasure the future ruler of our country?"

The pink flush had started to creep down Blaine's neck, blooming across his collarbone as he gave a strained cough. Sebastian could see Blaine's cock start to swell once more at the mental imagery. Eventually he looked up again, watching Sebastian through his eyelashes as he spoke softly. "If his Royal Highness desired it of me I would of course do my best to please our Crown Prince. Forgive me Master, I was only thinking of you. Political consort would be such an honour, such a position of authority. If I can contribute in any way to my Master achieving such a position ... I only want what is best for my Master, always."

Sebastian's gaze never left his sub as he reached across the table to pick up his wine glass, taking a long sip from it as he considered Blaine's words. The Crown Prince's sexual preferences were known throughout the realm, and as a gay Dominant/submissive pair in a legitimate bond, Sebastian realized that he and Blaine might have a unique appeal that many other advisors and their subs might not have. As much as he hated the idea of not being able to rely solely on his political skill set to win the position, he also wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

When he had fully drained the glass he bent down, looking deep into Blaine's eyes as he firmly gripped his chin between his thumb and forefinger. Slowly, he rose to standing, drawing Blaine up with him. "Needy as you may be, you make a good point. I will consider what you have suggested." With Sebastian's grip still tight on his chin Blaine couldn't move his head, but his gaze dipped to the floor in submission, and again Sebastian could see the pride clearly written across his sub's features.

With one quick motion Sebastian spun them both around, so that Blaine was now facing the chair Sebastian had been sitting on moments earlier, while Sebastian stood behind him, pinning both of his arms, crossed at the wrist, against the small of his back. Pressing forward Sebastian lazily rubbed his clothed body up against Blaine's naked form so that Blaine could feel his obvious hardness. Moving his crotch in slow circles against the swell of Blaine's ass, he took a moment to enjoy the full body shudder that ran through Blaine's frame. Reaching up with his free hand to grasp at the back of Blaine's neck, he pushed him forward until he was bent at a right-angle over the chair, chest flat against its wooden seat.

His movements were slow and unhurried as he draped himself across Blaine's back, taking in the sound of Blaine's increased breathing, feeling the soft thrum of anticipation coursing through his sub as he submitted and allowed Sebastian to do as he pleased with him. Sebastian leant right forward so that his voice ghosted across Blaine's ear, his hand leaving Blaine's wrists so that it could slip down, one finger lightly tracing across Blaine's crack in a teasing hint of what was about to come next.

"But first, I think I need you need reminding of who you you really belong to."


	2. Chapter 2

Crown Prince Kurt Hummel certainly had an interesting approach to the interview process, Sebastian couldn't help thinking as he tried his best to wait patiently by the far wall of the Royal Castle's Great Hall, watching the proceedings in front of him with ever-increasing boredom. Patience had never been one of Sebastian's strong points, though, and after four mind-numbingly tedious hours of watching Prince Kurt converse one-on-one with what seemed like every middle-aged political advisor in the realm, he could feel himself starting to fidget.

To be fair, Prince Kurt seemed to be faring equally badly in front of Edward Alderman; a portly, balding man with questionable ethics when it came to the treatment of the baseborn. Sebastian had been on the receiving end of more than one of his droning, painfully one-sided conversations, and he had to smile as he watched the prince stifle a barely-concealed yawn, nodding along to whatever Alderman was saying but clearly not paying much attention. Sebastian could relate, the man really was insufferably dull.

There was one element of intrigue to Alderman's presence, though, and that was his sub standing just behind him. It wasn't the boy's age that caught Sebastian's attention - though the fact that Alderman was pushing forty and his sub couldn't have been older than eighteen did make Sebastian's skin crawl, that in itself was far from unusual given their current company. No, the thing that had drawn Sebastian's focus was that he knew for certain that up until a couple of weeks ago Alderman had been in a very happy, very committed claim with a very female submissive. For Alderman to have broken his claim with his sub - the pair had been together for over twenty years! - so that he could enter into this, this farce with a boy who looked barely old enough to have his designation, simply so he could better appeal to the Crown Prince's sexuality? It was disgusting, and frankly a little insulting.

And he wasn't the only one either. As Sebastian scanned the room he saw Dominant advisor after Dominant advisor with their subs all waiting behind them, some of them absolutely screaming of a new claim. To Sebastian it seemed painfully obvious which claims were legitimate, and which were simply pandering to the base urges of their Crown Prince. He noticed with a relieved sigh that Isabella Foster was still with her girl. He always had liked those two together, and even if he did disagree with most of her policies, he now had more respect for the Dom for not succumbing to the charade that this event was turning out to be. He sincerely hoped the prince could tell the difference too; it just wasn't right.

Glancing over his shoulder to where Blaine was standing exactly one pace behind and one pace to the left of him, he quietly marvelled at how calm, how at peace his sub looked. Blaine had his hands clasped behind his back and his head slightly bowed, and looked for all the world like he could continue standing exactly like that until instructed otherwise. A small, fond smile quirked at the corner of Sebastian's mouth as he watched his sub simply be. Blaine looked absolutely dashing in a dark red tunic with gold detail, and he exuded a quiet confidence that Sebastian would never not admire. Maybe it was just because he knew his relationship with Blaine better than he knew his own name, but for Sebastian it couldn't have been any clearer that this, this right here was the difference between their claim and others around them. Surely an honest, legitimate bond such as theirs had to be better for the crown, better for the prince, than any of the poor imitations some of these Doms insisted on showcasing?

He was drawn from his musings when the sounds in the center of the hall started to rise once more in volume. With a small sigh he turned back toward the proceedings just in time to see Prince Kurt thank Alderman for his time, before nodding at the herald to call forward the next interviewee. The young teenager coughed nervously before scanning down his far-too long list to read out the next candidate. "Sebastian Smythe; second-born Dominant of Lord Gregory Smythe. Current advisor to Duke Worthington."

Sebastian threw a silent thank you up at the ceiling as he straightened his lapels and strode confidently forward to meet the prince in the middle of the room. Time to get this show on the road.

Stopping just in front of the prince, Sebastian gave a gracious bow before speaking. "Your Royal Highness; it is an honour." His voice was low and sincere, and he held his position of respect until he heard the prince respond.

"Thank you, Sebastian. Please rise." Sebastian straightened and looked for the first time up close upon the realm's Crown Prince.

The court gossip mill hadn't been lying, for once. Puberty certainly had been kind to Prince Kurt. Sebastian took a second to appreciate the view in front of him; from the sharp, piercing grey-blue eyes framed by high cheekbones and artfully styled hair, to the finely tailored clothes that just hinted at muscle underneath them. Sebastian knew that the prince was just shy of twenty-one - it was the event that this whole affair was in aid of after all - but the man in front of him seemed simultaneously painfully young and old beyond his years, and Sebastian was all of a sudden incredibly nervous. As soon as he picked a political consort, Prince Kurt would succeed King Burt as magical guardian of the realm, and this man, this boy, would suddenly be responsible for the welfare of over two million souls. And here Sebastian was, trying to claim that he was the person best suited to be his right-hand. Talk about that for pressure.

After a moment, when it became apparent that the prince had no intention of starting their conversation, Sebastian cleared his throat with a small cough. "This is certainly a novel way of meeting potential consorts, Your Royal Highness," he commented wryly, slightly unsure of how to start what was probably the most important interaction of his life to date.

The prince gave a small, sardonic grin. "Political consort to the crown is the second most important role in the realm, I need to make sure whoever I choose can hold their own in front of an audience." Sebastian could swear he heard a hint of challenge in the prince's voice, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Second most important role, Your Royal Highness?" He asked, voice perfectly respectful, even as he knew exactly what he was asking. He was rewarded with a high, musical laugh from the prince, and he let a small smile slip across his features.

"One with a sense of humour I see, well isn't that refreshing." The prince's whole attitude suddenly seemed lighter, and Sebastian was suddenly aware of how tense he himself was. Taking a couple of deep breaths he forced himself to relax; he was good, he was so much better than than any of the other fuckwits in the room it was practically laughable. He had this in the bag.

"I feel I must apologize on behalf of my profession, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian continued. "Hard as it may be to imagine, there are actually some amongst us who aren't quite as deathly boring as my peers today must have led you to believe."

"Is that a fact? Well in that case you must introduce me to these mythical creatures you speak of," the prince replied, and there was that hint of challenge in his voice again.

"I'm afraid I couldn't possibly do that, Your Royal Highness. I wouldn't want you thinking that they were better for the job than I am." Sebastian responded, starting to settle into the rhythm of their conversation.

"Did I miss the part where you convinced me that you were the right person for the job in the first place?" The Prince replied curiously, and yes, that was Sebastian's cue to get down to business.

"Well, I could let my credentials speak for themselves, Your Royal Highness. I have been involved in affairs of state since I was fifteen. After my lord father was killed during the Macinly uprising, I managed House Smythe for three years until my mother remarried. Since then I have never not been sought after for my skills. In the past six years I have been in service to first House Drothstone, working alongside the esteemed William Seymour, and then subsequently House Mayfair, where I was solely in charge of day to day affairs. Most recently I have been chief advisor to House Worthington, one of the largest, and currently most profitable, estates in the realm."

Sebastian paused for a second to see how his list of accomplishments would go down with the prince. He was clearly impressed, but Sebastian was pretty sure someone as diligent as the Crown Prince would have done his research on potential candidates well before this meeting. He had yet to tell the prince anything he didn't already know. "Then of course there is the fact that you are clearly a progressive monarch. If your recent endeavours to unify inter-realm legislation didn't make that blindingly obvious then your…unique fashion sense would also be a telltale sign." Sebastian smirked as the prince raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, obviously not entirely sure if Sebastian had intended that as a compliment or an insult. Sebastian decided to press onward before the prince gave it much further thought and found the result unfavorable.

"Honestly, Your Royal Highness, you need an advisor who is as forward-thinking as you are. Please don't insult yourself by entertaining the idea that any of these fossils even stand a chance of keeping up with you. Half of the Dominants in this room were advising houses during the Dalton war; it's time for some fresh blood to enter the fray."

For a long moment the prince simply stared at Sebastian, appraising him, and Sebastian fought the urge to squirm under the intensity of his gaze. Squaring his shoulders he held his head high, firmly biting his tongue against the flurry of words his brain had suddenly decided were necessary in order to cement his case. He didn't need to sell himself any more than he already had done; he knew he was the best man for the job, now it was the prince's turn to reach the same conclusion.

After the longest three and a half minutes Sebastian had ever endured (he had begun counting the seconds in his head to stop himself from moving) the prince nodded sharply, just once, as if he had decided something.

"And who do we have here?" The prince asked lightly, and for a moment Sebastian was confused about what he was talking about. Then he noticed that the prince's gaze had slipped to focus over Sebastian's left shoulder. Of course; Blaine. Blaine, who had been present the entire time, standing perfectly still, perfectly quiet, exactly one pace behind and one pace to the left.

"Your Royal Highness, might I present my submissive, Blaine Anderson." Taking a step to the side, Sebastian nodded at Blaine to indicate that he should move forward. Dutiful as ever, his sub stepped carefully forward, hands still held behind his back as he bowed lowly to the prince. "Your Royal Highness," he said simply, voice calm and confident, keeping his eyes to the floor.

"Look at me, Blaine." The prince's voice had taken on an entirely new timbre, low and commanding. For a moment Sebastian thought he could feel the air crackling, laced as it suddenly was with an entirely new sort of tension. Keeping his perfect position of standing prostration, Blaine slowly flicked his eyes up to meet the prince's face, staring up at him through his long eyelashes.

"Well, aren't you absolutely breathtaking," The prince commented softly, attention now entirely fixated on Sebastian's submissive in front of him.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Blaine replied breathlessly, and Sebastian knew that exact inflection far too well for him to be completely happy with Blaine offering it to someone other than himself. Furiously he stomped down the ball of possessive anger that was starting to form in his chest. If the prince was going to pick Sebastian as his consort then Blaine would be part of the agreement; Blaine was simply helping his Master seal the deal, just like a good submissive should.

Finally, finally, the prince broke his intense stare and turned back to focus once more on Sebastian. "Well this has been most enlightening. Thank your for your time, Sebastian."

Without another word Kurt turned back to signal once more toward his herald, and Sebastian had to bite back the urge to say anything further. With a nod toward Blaine he turned and strode out of the Great Hall, fighting every step of the way to not turn back and take one final glance at the Crown Prince.

* * *

Kurt Hummel, Crown Prince and soon-to-be magical guardian of the kingdom of Aldern, had a splitting headache. He supposed that entertaining over fifty of the realm's smartest - and most pretentious - minds in the space of one afternoon would probably do that to a person, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.

With a small groan he leant back in his high-backed armchair, left hand coming up to massage at his temple while he flicked his right hand in a short, scooping motion in front of him. In response, the pitcher of water and wine glass sitting on the table across the other side of the room jumped up and danced through the air to hover in front of him. With a click of his fingers the jug poured a long stream of crystal clear water into the glass, then trundled it's way back across the room to take it's original place back on the table. Plucking the glass out of the air by the stem, Kurt took a long sip, closing his eyes as he relished the ice-cool refreshment. Yes, it was incredibly lazy of him to use his powers like this when he could very easily have simply gotten up and crossed the room on his own two feet, but it had been a long day; he could afford to cheat just a little bit.

And what a day it had been. Kurt had known that this, the first real decision he would have to make as part of his new position of authority, would be stressful, but he hadn't quite realized just how out of his depth he would feel. He was competent, smart, more than ready to take on this new challenge, he knew that. But today, talking to men and women easily twenty years his senior, all who seemed to know so much more than he did, he had never felt more like a child playing pretend.

The only moment of respite in the entire proceedings had been when Sebastian Smythe had stepped forward. At first Kurt had simply been relieved to have something decent to look at while he suffered through another mind-numbingly boring conversation about some political dispute resolved in exactly the same way as hundreds of others before it, but Sebastian had been charming and entertaining, surprisingly so. He had showcased his knowledge without making Kurt feel like an idiot, and for the first (and only time) in the entire awful afternoon, Kurt had felt like he was interacting with someone he could actually rule alongside, rather than in front of or behind.

And then of course there had been Blaine. Blaine, with his golden eyes and breathtaking expression of submission. That had been something he really hadn't been expecting from the day's proceedings.

Kurt had long been aware of the contractual intricacies that surrounded the role of political consort. He had read up on them in great detail when he first began his search, spending hours and hours pouring over documents and talking to his father's consort, just so he could be absolutely sure about what he was getting himself into. One of the biggest stipulations was that a political consort would offer up all his possessions to the royal that he served, in order to ensure loyalty and fidelity. As was the nature of the society in which they lived, this agreement had quickly come to include a Dominant's submissive - a sort of added bonus, as it were. It was the oldest trick in the book after all; sex sells. And boy had it been on offer today. Kurt had been prepared for the blatant flaunting of submissive after submissive, and had told himself that no matter what happened he would not be influenced by temptations of the flesh. His relationship with his political consort, and their submissive if they had one, would be strictly professional, nothing more.

But then Blaine had stepped into view, and the whole universe had realigned itself, rearranging every one of its atoms so that all of a sudden Blaine became its shining center. Kurt was far from the blushing virgin he had been at fifteen, but when he and Blaine had locked eyes that afternoon for a sharp, shocking moment it was as if Kurt had never looked upon another man before. It had been exciting and nerve-wrackingly terrifying, and Kurt couldn't even begin to start processing what it meant.

And didn't that throw yet another complication into the mix. He had promised himself, sworn to himself, and while he was reasonably confident that his draw towards Sebastian was indeed down to his professional skills, he couldn't one hundred percent guarantee that he wasn't now being influenced by … other factors. Fuck.

A small knock at the door broke him from his reverie, and he hastily straightened up in his chair, trying to make it look slightly more like like he wasn't currently suffering through the most hideous of crises of confidence. He breathed a small sigh of relief as a blonde head peeked through the door, stepping inside the room and closing the door behind her before giving a quick curtsey.

The Pierce family had been in the employ of the Royal Castle for as long as Kurt could remember, and he and Brittany had practically grown up together. Brittany had even been Kurt's first kiss, long long ago when Kurt had still been working out who he was (who he was allowed to be) and what he liked (what the crown expected him to like). Thankfully they had both realized what a disaster that was, in more ways than one, and now Kurt considered Brittany one of his closest friends, free from the pressure and expectations that relationships with others of his station came with (a certain Duchess Berry sprang to mind). Kurt loved sweet, innocent Britanny with all his heart, and desperately hoped that life would be kind to her.

"Evening, Your Royal Kurt," Brittany said happily as she moved around the room, bending down to tend to the fireplace, stoking the coals so they roared fierce against the chill night air.

"Good evening, Brittany," Kurt replied, smiling as he watched her work. Brittany had never seemed to grasp his official title, but he didn't mind. It was the closest thing he'd ever had to a nickname.

"The servant's quarters are all abuzz with talk from today," Brittany chattered as she moved around the room, light as a dancer on her feet as she prepared Kurt's quarters for bed. "Have you found somebody nice to be your person?"

"I'm not sure 'nice' is what I should be basing my decision on I'm afraid Britt," Kurt sighed, rubbing at his eyes as exhaustion started to drag at his insides.

"Of course you should," Brittany paused, turning to look at Kurt like he was missing the most obvious point in the world. "If you can't have someone nice as your person how can you make sure the world is nice to each other?"

It was an interesting approach, Kurt supposed, and not entirely unfounded either. Whoever he chose as political consort was going to be one of the biggest presences in his life from now until...well ideally forever. He needed somebody who didn't make him want to claw his own eyes out after less than fifteen minutes' interaction.

"I don't suppose you're interested in the role?" Kurt replied lightly, only half joking.

"I'm afraid I can't, Your Royal Kurt. The kitchen mice have asked me to help with their war against the alley cats, and it's taking up all of my spare time." Brittany replied, deadly serious as she finished turning down Kurt's bed. "May I take my leave? Lord Tubbington is going to introduce me to the new foals this evening. He says that one of them has been asking after me."

"Of course, go have fun," Kurt replied fondly. "But Britt, you do know that boy's not really a lord, right?"

Brittany gave a small shrug, "He is to me," she replied simply, giving another small curtsey before leaving, closing the door quietly after her and leaving Kurt once more with just his thoughts for company.

Kurt sighed. Everything seemed to be so simple, so obvious to Brittany. Then again, maybe he was just over-complicating things. Sebastian was the clear choice, no other candidate even came close. And if Blaine happened to be Sebastian's submissive well, that was simply a happy coincidence, nothing more nothing less.

Before he could change his mind Kurt turned his attention to the piece of paper next to him; he had a formal document already drafted with just a space left for him to write the name of his chosen consort. Picking up a pen he took a deep breath, then in neat, precise writing added the name 'Sebastian Smythe'. With shaking fingers he folded the paper in on itself from either end, then slowly melted some wax over the crease, pressing his seal into the sticky substance just as it started to set.

There, decision made. No going back now.


	3. Chapter 3

"Clause twenty-six. The Magical Guardian shall not use his powers to artificially influence the economy of the realm of Aldern, or any of the neighboring realms of Edgebrook, Lochdale, Rivergate..." Sebastian stifled a yawn behind his hand and blinked three times in quick succession to subtly try and wake himself up. They had been in this tiny, windowless room for hours now, and Sebastian was seriously struggling to comprehend how one contract could possibly contain so much information, and so much of it completely irrelevant. Honestly, did it really need to be documented that "in the month preceding the winter designation ceremony, both Magical Guardian and Political Consort shall embark on a tour of the estates of Aldern, stopping for no less than three days in each location," or that "during this tour, the Consort will offer gifts to each of the holdings, and the Guardian will showcase the magical skills used to keep the realm safe in an exhibit for all residents to attend." Surely the intricacies of every single political outing they might ever face could be discussed in a slightly less formal setting than this? It was inane, bordering on the completely ridiculous, and he was pretty sure he had stopped listening about two hours ago.

Casting a furtive glance to his left he was shocked to see that Blaine was still listening attentively to everything the royal steward was saying. Blaine had his hands on the table in front of him, back perfectly straight, and Sebastian could have sworn he was actually leaning into the one-sided conversation. How on earth did he do it? There was nothing even vaguely interesting being discussed.

On his right, the crown prince was practically a mirror image of Blaine, nodding along as the steward described in great and painful detail that "on the day of the summer solstice the Magical Guardian will fill the town square with daisies and peonies for the local townspeople to collect and display in their windows for the coming fortnight, as a symbol of gratitude from the Crown to its subjects." Either they were both the world's greatest actors, or Sebastian was seriously missing something.

The next time the steward paused for breath, Sebastian seized his chance for a brief respite from the seemingly endless tedium. "Excuse me, Your Royal Highness, might we take a short interlude before the next clause? It might do us all a bit of good to freshen up, stretch our legs and the like?"

Prince Kurt looked genuinely surprised at the suggestion, his brow creasing into a small frown as he turned to look at Sebastian. "I suppose we could do that, if you and Blaine think it would help. Although, it does seem a shame to stop now when we're so close to the end, don't you think?"

"If you recall, Master, there is only one more point of interest left," Blaine's voice, quiet and placating came from next to him, and Sebastian turned in surprise to look at his sub. Blaine's expression was open and pleading, as if he were trying to tell Sebastian something more than what he was actually saying.

"You've already read the contract, Blaine?" Sebastian asked, genuinely confused.

"You haven't?" Sebastian twisted back to focus once more on the prince. Prince Kurt's expression had now taken a turn for the incredulous, and finally, finally, things were starting to click into place for Sebastian. That big stack of documents that had arrived at the Worthington Castle last week, along with the official request for Sebastian to accept the role of political consort to the crown. Sebastian had taken one look at the mountain of paperwork and decided to deal with it some other time when he wasn't doing battle with a winter designation ceremony. So this was what must have been in there; the contract for him to go over before the actual signing. Well, okay then.

"Forgive me, Your Royal Highness, of course I have been over it in great and precise detail. I was merely surprised that Blaine had also taken the initiative to read through the contract prior to today; he isn't usually one to concern himself with day-to-day minutiae such as this. Isn't that right Blaine?" Sebastian grinned widely at Blaine, hoping his sub would play along with the charade. Blaine's brow crinkled into a frown for just a second, but it was gone as quickly as it arrived, and Sebastian allowed himself a small sigh of relief. "My apologies for the interruption, Your Royal Highness. If you'll allow me to pour myself a drink of water, then we can continue straight onward." Sebastian reached forward and grabbed at the pitcher of water in the middle of the round table they were all seated at. Taking a couple of deep breaths he slowly poured himself a glass of water, and just as slowly sipped at it as he tried to compose himself again after being caught so horribly off guard. It was okay, really. He knew the general gist of what was required of him in the role, and nothing in the contract had seemed that out of the ordinary, as far as he could remember at least.

Besides, if there was anything awful in there Blaine would have mentioned it. Wouldn't he?

Placing his glass back on the table he nodded at the steward to continue. The old lady, who seemed entirely unfazed by the interruptions, continued from exactly where she had left off in exactly the same monotone. Sebastian held back a shudder. Just one more point, one more point and then they were done.

"Clause thirty-three. In exchange for the position of power bequeathed to them by the Crown, the Political Consort shall sacrifice all their material possessions to the Magical Guardian, as a token of gratitude for this opportunity, and to ensure that the interests of the Consort align with the interests of the Crown. These material possessions include but are not limited to, land, holdings, weaponry, heirlooms and artefacts. In addition, the Political Consort shall offer their own person to the Magical Guardian as a symbol of absolute loyalty, as well as any submissive or Dominant persons they have currently claimed or will claim in the future."

Wait...what? Sebastian replayed the sentence over in his brain, tracing over each individual letter until he could truly comprehend what he had just heard. He had known that part of the agreement would involve him handing his claim on Blaine over to the crown prince. That was a necessary sacrifice, and one he had made his peace with back when he had originally been considering the role. Besides, he knew that the crown prince wouldn't, couldn't give Blaine what he needed, not really. Only Sebastian, Blaine's Master, could do that. He wasn't going to lose his sub, no matter what a piece of paper said.

But he hadn't known about this other part of the agreement, that he would be handing himself over to the prince as well. Did this mean that the prince was a submissive? Well wouldn't that be a nice turn of events; he'd be able to keep Blaine to himself and get a hot piece of royal ass to Dominate as well. Very nice indeed.

The idea of the crown prince being a sub didn't seem to sit quite right in Sebastian's head though. Surely there would have been more court gossip if their prince had received a submissive designation, that sort of thing wouldn't have simply been ignored by the ever-hungry rumour mills would it? Maybe the royal family had covered up his designation to avoid scandal - could they do that?

"Is everything okay, Sebastian?" Sebastian realized that he was sitting rigid in his chair, and he forced himself to relax. Unfortunately it seemed his reaction to the last clause hadn't gone unnoticed, and he guiltily looked up to face the prince, who was once again looking at him with confusion etched across his features. Okay, he needed to play this one right. Not least because he was supposed to have already read this damn contract, and this additional point should really not be coming as a surprise to him now.

"I was just curious, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian began, choosing his words carefully. "How that last point would apply if both the magical guardian and the political consort were to have a Dominant designation, as is the case in our situation?"

Prince Kurt raised an eyebrow at Sebastian, as if skeptical at the idea of them both being Dominants. Maybe Sebastian had been right about a coverup after all. "Well, the clause only specifies that we can be…" Kurt paused to clear his throat, and Sebastian had to suppress a grin at the crown prince's obvious discomfort. "It only specifies that we can be intimate, not that we should. There have been many guardian-consort pairs throughout history that have been completely platonic, and just as successful - my father and his consort, for example. And then I suppose there really aren't any rules against two Dominants…being together, whether it be simply as equals, or with a third, submissive party." Sebastian was pretty sure he heard a small whimper from Blaine at Prince Kurt's last statement, and he turned with a grin to see his sub fiercely biting his lip, the hot red flush of arousal already starting to creep up his neck from underneath the collar of tunic.

"I think Blaine likes the idea of that, Your Royal Highness," Sebastian replied, not entirely managing to keep the leer out of his voice.

Prince Kurt gave the smallest of frowns, eyes flicking to Blaine and then back to Sebastian, before firmly looking down at his hands as he smoothed non-existent wrinkles out of his clothing. "Yes, well. Shall we continue?"

The royal steward shuffled her papers, her actions now laced with just a hint of indignation at being interrupted yet again in such a short space of time - maybe she was human after all. "All parties involved in said contract shall provide a list of hard and soft limits, to be specified under Appendix G. These documents can be amended at any time, but are considered binding as they appear in the contract at any given point. The Safeword system specified in Appendix H - where applicable - shall be observed at all times. In the absence of personal safewords, the commonly-accepted Elements System - red to stop, blue to slow down, and brown to continue - shall be observed."

Prince Kurt turned to look at Sebastian and Blaine, "What have you two been using up until now?"

Sebastian shrugged. "We've been using the Elements System, but Blaine has never had to safeword."

Prince Kurt frowned again, obviously not appreciating Sebastian's cavalier attitude on the subject. "Then I'm happy to continue using that system, unless you would like to use something else?"

"Elements is fine with us." Sebastian replied, and once more he was treated to that furrowed brow of disapproval from the prince. Why did that bother him so much?

"Blaine, are you okay with using the Elements system?" The prince asked, very pointedly ignoring Sebastian. Blaine flushed under the sudden attention, suddenly not quite knowing what to do with his hands as he folded them into his lap and then brought them straight back out to rest palm-down on the table in front of him.

"Elements is fine, Your Royal Highness," he practically whispered, eyes fixed on the table.

"Thank you, Blaine," the prince replied fondly, his voice approving. Blaine's eyes flicked up to meet the prince's gaze, and Sebastian saw a hint of a smile tease at the corner of his sub's mouth as the two of them locked eyes. Kurt's expression was openly tender, and Sebastian could see the tension in Blaine's shoulders start to unwind under the prince's affection. For a single, horrifying second Sebastian felt like he was intruding on some sort of private moment, but the next instant the prince turned back to the steward, snapping right back to business, and the moment passed as quickly as it had arrived. "You need not add an extra set of safewords to the contract, Daphne, thank you."

After that, all that was left was for first Kurt, then Sebastian, then Steward Daphne to sign and seal the document, and all of a sudden everything was official

Sebastian made sure to take his time cleaning all the wax off his seal, focusing a little too intently on getting the damp cloth into every single one of the little crevices that made up the Smythe family crest. His heart was hammering violently in his chest, threatening to burst right out of it if he wasn't careful. It was such a tiny thing, a quick scrawl of ink and then a hot press of wax, but all of a sudden it was all just a bit too much. He had finally, truly made it,and he couldn't even begin to process what 'it' might actually entail. Glancing up he saw that Blaine was still sitting at the table, determinedly not making eye-contact with either Dominant in the room, while the prince was staring down at the three signatures on the contract as if they were about to jump off the page and attack him.

A loud thump made Sebastian jump, and he turned to see Steward Daphne packing up her belongings at the far end of the table, completely oblivious to the sudden awkwardness between the three boys in the room. It was enough to shake Sebastian out of his funk, and he threw a wry grin in the prince's direction.

"I have to say," Sebastian commented lightly, trying to break the tension in the air. "Given your reputation I was sort of expecting a lot more pomp and circumstance surrounding this affair, Your Royal Highness."

The prince looked up from the document in surprise, and for a second the unaccommodating silence was back again. Then a wicked grin spread across his features, and Sebastian could see the enthusiasm dancing once more behind the prince's eyes. "Just you wait until the claiming banquet this evening; you haven't seen anything yet."

* * *

Prince Kurt certainly hadn't been exaggerating. Sebastian had never seen anything to even vaguely rival the extravagance of the scene in front of him as he walked into the claiming banquet that evening on the prince's right-hand side.

At the far end of the royal hall the raised dais - which was usually home to the royal throne - was sporting a great long table, draped with the royal colours of cerulean and gold. At regular intervals along the table there were high-stemmed vases overflowing with flowers of dazzling shades of the same colour scheme. The rest of the hall was filled with smaller, circular tables that were either sporting blue or yellow accompaniments individually. The tables had been strategically placed around the edges of the hall so that a large space in the centre of the room was left clear for the night's entertainment. A fire-breather was warming up in the corner, multi-coloured flames erupting from his lips, and Sebastian could see two stilt-walkers roaming between the tables, the tops of their towering hats just barely brushing the roof of the hall. Casting his gaze skyward Sebastian noticed that the long oak beams spanning the length of the roof had been covered with intricately braided fabrics. Sebastian was momentarily stunned at how the effect had been achieved before remembering - of course - magic. This was certainly going to take some getting used to.

"This, this truly is a sight, Your Royal Highness" Sebastian breathed, completely sacrificing his usual cavalier attitude when confronted by such a breathtaking scene.

Next to him, the prince gave a satisfied smile. "I always think that if I hadn't been born crown prince then banquet-planning would have been a perfect career choice for me. And I think now that we are officially bonded we can forego some of the formalities now don't you? Just Kurt is fine."

And there it was - Sebastian Smythe on first-name acquaintances with the Crown Prince of Aldern. Sebastian leaned slightly forward to grin at Blaine, who was standing on Kurt's left side looking more than a little overwhelmed.

Kurt nodded toward the dais. "Shall we take our places? Our guests will be arriving at any moment."

The three of them cut through the middle of the room until they reached the far end of the hall. As Sebastian climbed the short set of steps to the top of the dais he had a chance to fully appreciate the three high-backed chairs situated in pride of place at the center of the table. On first glance from all the way across the other side of the hall he had briefly been confused that there were three of the ornate chairs rather than just two - for him and the crown prince - but then had simply assumed that the third chair would be for King Burt. Now that he was standing right in front of them though, and could inspect them more closely, he saw that the center chair was draped with the royal colors. The chair on the right was the purple of the Smythe holding, and the chair on the left...why on earth was the chair on the left sporting Anderson red?

"Who will be joining us at the head of the table?" Sebastian asked, thoroughly confused. Surely Lord Anderson would have told him if he had been planning on attending the ceremony?

"Well, the King and Queen will be sitting next to you on your left, just there, with the current royal consort next to them." Kurt pointed at the three seats next to the purple chair as he spoke. "And then my step-brother and his Dominant will be on our other side." Another hand-wave to the chairs situated to the left of the main three. "And then the rest of the table will be made up of lords and ladies of the court, so we've got Lord and Lady Harrington..."

"But who will be sitting on your right?" Sebastian couldn't help interrupting. The prince stopped talking and turned to look at Sebastian with an expression of utter confusion. "My step-brother Finn, didn't I mention that?"

Sebastian huffed, wondering why Kurt was being so obtuse about the occupant of that third chair. "No, I meant the red chair just there, right next to yours," Sebastian pointed adamantly at the offending article.

"Well of course that's Blaine's chair. Honestly who else did you expect Sebastian?"

For the longest of moments there was simply silence as Sebastian stared incredulously at Kurt, and Kurt started just as incredulously back. Next to them Blaine looked like he was trying to fade into the tablecloth behind him.

"No, absolutely not." Sebastian eventually spluttered.

"Excuse me?" Kurt's voice had suddenly turned incredibly icey, his gaze piercing as he stared Sebastian down.

"Blaine is my submissive, his place at meal times is kneeling by my feet."

"Oh please, that tradition is as outdated as forcing submissives to sleep on the floor." Kurt scowled, as if the very notion of Blaine kneeling during a meal was utterly ridiculous.

"It is an important part of submissive training," Sebastian argued, his brain still struggling to catch up with the concept of Blaine sitting at the table with them. Like equals. They hadn't eaten a meal like that in years.

"There is a time and a place for training, and I hardly think a celebratory banquet constitutes." Kurt shot back, his voice deadly in it's derision. "But in any case, this decision is no longer up to you." The prince turned to face Blaine, his voice suddenly gentle as he addressed the sub. "Blaine, where would you feel more comfortable. We can get you a mat to kneel on if you prefer, or would you rather sit at the table with the rest of us?"

Blaine's expression was panicked as he was suddenly faced with the sole attention of both the prince and his master. His gaze flicked from Kurt, to Sebastian, and then away from both Dominants to scan over the extravagances of the banquet around them. Sebastian could see him processing, taking in his surroundings, where they were and what he was being asked.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice drew the submissive's attention away from the festivities, and as Blaine turned back to face them Sebastian could see that he was still obviously conflicted. Sebastian couldn't help the pout of indignation that he knew must be etched across his features. This should not be a difficult decision for Blaine, he had trained him better than this.

"Blaine, this is your choice. There's no wrong answer, whatever you choose now is completely up to you." Kurt's voice was lilting and calm, effortlessly controlling the situation, and Sebastian was reminded again of that terrifying moment he had witnessed between the two of them back during the reading of the contract.

Blaine's focus flitted once more to Sebastian, his expression pleading. Sebastian had no idea what he was pleading for, but whatever it was he knew he wasn't okay with it. With a small sigh Blaine dropped his gaze to the ground, breaking eye contact with Sebastian before turning back to the prince.

"If it pleases you, I would like to sit at the table, Sir."

"Well then that settles it," Kurt replied, voice triumphant as he turned back to raise an eyebrow challengingly at Sebastian.

"But...but it's not right." Sebastian persisted, not quite understanding why he insisted on going toe-to-toe with the crown prince like this, but knowing that he simply couldn't just let it lie.

"One more word on the matter, Sebastian, and I will have the pages bring out a mat for you, and you will spend the entirety of the banquet kneeling at my feet." Kurt's voice was suddenly low and controlling, not a hint of anger or aggression but simply pure, unadulterated Domination. Domination of an entirely different kind than that Sebastian had seen him display around Blaine. Sebastian felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him as he all but buckled under the intensity of Kurt's gaze. Without even thinking about it his mouth slammed shut and he dropped his gaze to skim his boots.

"That's better," Kurt continued, his voice still radiating Dominance, and Sebastian had no idea what was going on, what was even happening, but he knew he had never felt like this before in his life. Was this magic? Was the prince using his powers to control him somehow? Sebastian could feel a small bubble of panic welling up inside of him. Whatever was going on, he was sure he didn't like it.

Then all of a sudden the moment passed, and Sebastian felt the tension in the air lift, felt his head clear as he was able to raise his gaze to meet the prince's again. Kurt clapped his hands together, suddenly excitable and eager. "Right, shall we take our places? The kitchen staff will be bringing out the first course any moment now."

* * *

It took a long while for Sebastian to settle into the swing of things after that. The food was good, conversation light-hearted and witty - even if it was more than a little bit daunting interacting with King Burt, the King Burt, on his left - and the entertainment was absolutely spectacular. But every time Sebastian felt himself loosening up, relaxing into the atmosphere, he would forget where he was and instinctively offer up a morsel of food to the empty space next to his chair. And every time he felt cold air rather than the warm press of Blaine's lips against his fingers everything would shake back out of alignment again, and he'd have to start over.

As the fourth course was being cleared away, Kurt signalled to one of the serving staff behind them, who gave a small nod and moved away to talk to the set of staff organising the night's entertainment. "This is my favourite part of the night," Kurt commented to nobody in particular. Before Sebastian could ask what Kurt had in store for them a group of five musicians shuffled to the front of the room, and started up a lively jig. "Brad and his travelling musicians here are some of the best in the realm." Kurt said with a wide grin, clapping along to the music as the rhythm quickly became apparent.

"Oh, I know this song!" Blaine exclaimed happily, "My brother and I used to dance to it at the local fair each year. It was quite the talking point of the estate." Sebastian turned in surprise to look at Blaine, not quite managing to suppress his incredulous expression. He knew that after everything else that had happened that afternoon, this one simple comment from Blaine should really not shock him as much as it did, but it was just so very unlike Blaine to speak out of turn like that. Honestly, who was this new Blaine, and what on earth had he done with Sebastian's submissive?

"I can imagine, I bet you're an amazing dancer." Kurt replied warmly, and Blaine didn't even try and hide his grin at the overt compliment from the prince. Sebastian couldn't help the small growl of disgruntlement that rumbled in his chest at the obviously flirtatious behaviour between Kurt and his submissive, and before he knew what he was doing he was standing, giving a gracious bow to the prince as he spoke.

"Would Your Royal Highness care to dance?" he asked suavely, every inch the respectable gentleman. Casting his gaze upward he couldn't miss the flash of disappointment that fluttered across the prince's features as he looked from Sebastian, to Blaine, and then back to Sebastian again, but he resolutely put it out of his mind as Kurt graciously rose to standing.

"I would love to, Sebastian." Kurt replied, throwing a wink in Blaine's direction. "You'll have to show me those dance moves later, Blaine." He commented lightly, before leading the way towards the big open space that had cleared in the middle of the room.

As they descended the stairs the tempo of the music changed, segueing effortlessly into a traditional light-hearted ballad. There were already a number of couples taking up their places for the customary dance, with pairs facing one another in two long rows as the introductory strains sprung to life. Sebastian and Kurt joined the middle of each row, with lords and ladies on either side making space for their Crown Prince and his consort.

It was a dance Sebastian knew well, and he barely had to think about the steps as he and the prince bowed to one another, and then stepped forward in time to greet one another, pressing palms together before stepping back in line.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Sebastian?" Kurt asked politely the next time they both stepped forward again, twisting around one another to return to the opposite side from which they came.

"Of course, although I daresay I would be enjoying it more with Blaine at my feet," Sebastian replied, earning himself a disgruntled huff from Kurt the next time they met.

"Don't be childish Sebastian, it doesn't suit you." Kurt chided.

"And there was me thinking that everything suited me," Sebastian joked as they combined with the couples on either side of them to form a six-speared wheel, rotating clockwise with their hands as the axes.

"You know, humility wouldn't be a bad look for you to try either." Kurt replied, but Sebastian was sure he could see a twinkle of light in the prince's eyes as he spoke, and he couldn't help pushing just that little bit further.

"You don't need humility when you're as good as I am, just ask Blaine." Sebastian's gaze was positively wicked as he cast his gaze back toward the dais where Blaine was deep in conversation with Prince Finn. "In fact, don't be too surprised if you can hear him from every room in the castle tonight. I'm going to need to put him through his paces after that little stunt he pulled earlier."

Kurt's footsteps faltered, the usually graceful prince missing the step change as he looked wildly back at Sebastian. "After what?" He asked incredulously, but before Sebastian could ask what was the problem the dance had divided off, and Sebastian and Kurt were drawn away from one another for the rest of the verse. Of course, that didn't stop Kurt from throwing constant glares at Sebastian until they were reunited a couple of minutes later.

"And what exactly…" Kurt practically seethed as they stepped forwards to meet one another once again. "...was that stunt you think Blaine pulled earlier?"

Sebastian gave the prince a small, slightly pitying smile. It was kind of adorable, just how naive Kurt was. Had he ever even had a submissive before? Sebastian wasn't quite sure. Talking slowly, as if to a child, he spelled it out for the crown prince. "He knows that his place during meals is kneeling. He's known that for many years and he still chose to sit at the table with us this evening. He broke the rules and so he needs to be punished. Obviously."

Instead of accepting Sebastian's clearly superior Dominant knowledge, however, Kurt seemed further provoked by his response. "So what, for once in his life Blaine gets to be treated like a human being, and you're going to beat it right out of him?"

"Now that's a little harsh," Sebastian replied, affronted at the clear insinuation that he was some sort of Dominant monster. They had both stopped dancing at this point, and were simply standing toe to toe, face to face, in the middle of the dance floor as other couples whirled away around them. "Punishment is about self-improvement, about pushing a submissive to be better…"

"Don't patronize me Sebastian, I know exactly what punishment is for." Kurt practically spat at him, expression positively venomous. "I gave Blaine a choice and he made one, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

"But I am Blaine's Dominant-"

"No." Kurt practically shouted as he interrupted Sebastian, earning them both shocked looks from onlookers. With a heavy sigh he forcibly made himself relax, before continuing in a much quieter voice. "No, not any more Sebastian. When you signed that piece of paper earlier you signed Blaine's wellbeing over to me. So when I give Blaine the option to sit, he is doing absolutely nothing wrong by accepting it. Do you understand me?"

For the second time that night Sebastian felt all the air rush out of his body, and he could only nod mutely as Kurt sighed and rubbed at his temples with his fingers. "I think we're done with dancing for the evening," he commented dejectedly, voice completely devoid of all the fire that had previously embodied him. Turning back towards the dais he cut a swathe through the throng of dancers, leaving Sebastian alone, partnerless, in the middle of the great hall as the next song started up.

* * *

It took an incredible amount of self-control for Kurt to not stomp back to his seat like a petulant child as he all but fled away from the dance floor, away from Sebastian. His entire body was thrumming with anger as he climbed the steps up to the main table, hands clenching and unclenching at his side seemingly of their own free will. The nerve, the audacity! How on earth could Kurt have been so naive to have not noticed this side of Sebastian during their last meeting? Had he really been so blinded by Blaine that he hadn't noticed what an insufferable ass his Dominant clearly was?

Kurt sat back in his seat with an undignified thump. As he reached across the table for his wine glass he realized with a start of surprise that the cutlery on either side of his plate was vibrating, humming with the same energy he could feel coursing through his veins. Fuck. It had been a long long time since Kurt had lost control over his powers even a little bit, especially in public. How on earth had Sebastian managed to get underneath his skin so much in such a short space of time? He took a couple of deep breaths, hands coming down to smooth at his tunic as he desperately tried to regain his composure.

"Your Royal Highness? Is everything okay?" Blaine's voice was soft and tentative next to him, but Kurt flinched all the same. He hated being caught off guard like this, hated anybody seeing the cracks in his carefully crafted composure.

With a small sigh he forced himself to smile as he turned to face Blaine, "Yes, yes of course it is," he replied, voice overly jovial and just a little forced. Instead of accepting Kurt's platitudes and moving on, though, the crease between Blaine's eyebrows deepened and he tilted his head to the side, silently encouraging Kurt to open up.

With a small huff Kurt rubbed at his eyes."It's just...is he always such an ass?" He questioned, a hint of exasperation clouding his voice.

Blaine gave a small consolatory smile. "Sebastian is certainly a...vivid personality. He can take some getting used to." He offered up another warm smile, and despite himself Kurt couldn't help smiling back. "He really is a good advisor though, you couldn't have picked any better. And I'm not saying that because he's my Dominant... or at least not only because of that!"

Kurt chuckled softly. "Well here's hoping we don't kill one another along the way." Giving a small shake to clear his head, Kurt's next smile at Blaine was much more genuine; just being around the submissive calmed him down better than anyone else he'd ever come across. "But enough of me whining, I'd rather hear more about you."

It quickly became apparent that, despite his submissive designation, Blaine was more than capable of carrying a conversation, pretty much one-sidedly in fact. Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, Kurt was treated to numerous stories about Blaine's life prior to his bonding with Sebastian. Blaine seemed to flourish under the undivided attention of the crown prince, and Kurt was more than happy to provide him with it. Blaine was so animated when he talked, all hand gestures and wild voice inflections, and Kurt found himself leaning more and more into the conversation as Blaine regaled him with tales of his best friend and his seemingly most unfortunate courting history.

"...so David is just standing there, covered from head to toe in milk, and Lady Sophie walks in right on cue. And then they're just facing each other, completely silent, not moving a muscle, and I'm sitting in the corner desperately trying not to laugh, because it's not funny, it's not, but really, only David could do quite so badly at organizing a first date". Blaine paused, breathing heavily as the laughter threatened to erupt out of him before he could deliver the punchline. "So eventually Sophie just sighs, turns around and walks straight back out of the room. And David, he turns to me, eyes all hopeful, and says 'Well, it could have gone worse.' No, no David, I'm really not sure it could have."

Kurt was laughing so hard it took a good minute for him to notice that Sebastian had silently slipped back into his seat next to them. As soon as he did notice, though, it felt like all of the energy, all of the enthusiasm that had previously surrounded him and Blaine had been sucked out of the air, and Kurt could feel his sour mood returning.

Maybe he was being petty, maybe the magical guardian of the realm of Aldern should be able to rise above such silly emotions, but in that moment Kurt really couldn't have cared less. He had been having fun with Blaine, and he wasn't ready for that to end just yet.

Rising up from his chair he held an arm out for Blaine to take. "I love this song, don't you Blaine? I think it's time I saw these dance moves you were talking about earlier."

He couldn't help but notice that Blaine's eyes immediately flicked across to Sebastian, as if searching for some sort of confirmation, some sort of approval, and he had to bite his lip to stop himself from saying anything. Blaine had been Sebastian's submissive for years, it was only natural that he would defer to him. Still, it didn't mean he had to like it.

He liked it even less, though, when Sebastian pointedly ignored Blaine's silent request, keeping his eyes fixed on the dancers out in the middle of the hall and determinedly away from his submissive. Kurt wanted to yell at him, throw something at that stubborn head of his. How dare he deny his submissive like that. How could he do that to Blaine?

"I'll bring you back in one piece, I promise," he said softly, drawing Blaine's attention back to him. The hurt in Blaine's eyes almost broke his heart, but he forced himself to remain light. "Come on, why don't you show me those incredible moves I know you have?"

Blaine forced a small smile onto his face as he rose from his seat, slipping his arm through Kurt's and stepping slightly closer to him than absolutely necessary, as if he could absorb strength from Kurt simply from being close to him. "Lead the way, Sir."

The song playing by the time they reached the dance floor was much slower than the upbeat ballad that Kurt and Sebastian had danced to. If Kurt had had to describe it he probably would have called it a serenade, and he couldn't have asked for anything more perfect for him and Blaine to dance to.

They took up their set positions, face to face, along with all the other couples, custom dictating that they stood close enough to touch without any of their body parts actually meeting. As the opening strains of the song flowed around them Kurt side-stepped to the left as Blaine moved to the right, their eyes never leaving one another as they moved away from one another, and then back together again.

Round each other they danced, twisting as they stepped so that they were back to back, then face to face. Such was the nature of the dance, any time they moved away from one another they would always be brought back together by the next step. So close but not quite close enough, the ultimate slow burn.

Three steps away, three steps back. The greater distance apart making the pull together that much stronger as they flowed back toward one another. Kurt could feel his breath catch in his throat as Blaine tipped his head upward to keep their eyes locked, the height difference between them so much more pronounced in such close quarters. From this angle his entire neck was on display, long and lean and practically presenting itself to Kurt. He wanted to lick it to see if it tasted as good as it looked. He was almost certain it would.

"Has anybody ever told you what beautiful skin you have?" The words were out of Kurt's mouth before he even realized what he was saying, but he didn't regret it for an instant as Blaine blushed and dipped his gaze in response. His body was so emotive, so vocal. He didn't need to say anything at all for Kurt to know exactly what he was thinking. It was completely beautiful.

"Thank you, Sir." Blaine breathed softly, a small smile twitching at the edges of his lips as they spun around each other once more. They were so close that Kurt would only need to reach out by a hair's amount and they would have been touching. But to do that would be to ruin the moment, ruin the beautiful build up, and Kurt kept his hands firmly to himself.

As Blaine moved once more into view of the dais, Kurt noticed him throw a quick glance up at Sebastian's chair. The small frown of disappointment that flitted across his features had Kurt twisting to see what had drawn Blaine's focus. Sebastian was deep in conversation with Kurt's father, and appeared determinedly uninterested in the actions of Kurt and Blaine on the dance floor. Even when the king paused to take a long swig of wine Sebastian refused to pay any attention whatsoever to the dancers not five yards in front of him. Kurt was almost certain he heard a small sigh from Blaine, but when he turned back to look Blaine's expression had morphed into something completely different from that of the bashful sub Kurt had been dancing with moments earlier.

"I've been told that it looks even better marked up a little." Kurt's footsteps faltered as Blaine spoke, his voice having taken on an entirely new lilt. Blaine's eyes crinkled just slightly as he spun away from Kurt, his face disappearing from view for an instant. By the time he was back facing Kurt he was all seriousness again, but Kurt knew what he had seen, and he was damned if he wasn't going to follow it up.

"I have some beautiful candles in my room, a gift from overseas. Every color you can imagine, reds, blues, purples. There's even a gorgeous golden one, the wax is the color of a lion's mane. I can just imagine it on you." They both brought their hands up, so nearly palm to palm, and then back away again. So close to the edge, but not quite there yet. As Kurt brought his hands down he strayed slightly from the normal path, whispering his hands down the front of Blaine's body, mere millimeters away from fabric. He made sure to pass over every point he wanted to explore, to touch and feel, to test whether Blaine would gasp and beg as prettily as he imagined he would. And if the stuttered exhale from Blaine was any indication, it would be oh so pretty.

And now they stepped truly away from one another, Kurt winding through the crowd to his left, while Blaine did the same on his right. A long, deep figure of eight that took them both to the very edges of the dance floor. Kurt's gaze never left Blaine's, he wasn't sure if he could have broken eye contact even if he wanted to. The slow, methodic walk back towards him was one of the most agonizing waits Kurt had ever had to endure, but finally, finally, they were back face to face, for the last time of the dance.

As the music swelled into its final crescendo they both raised their hands once more, palm to palm, exactly like before. Except this time they both pressed forward, fingers twining together in a tight embrace. It was only a single point of contact; much less than what they had already shared together, but it rushed through Kurt's body like electricity. He had danced this dance hundreds of times in the past, but only now did he truly understand what it meant.

The music slowed, before stopping completely, and all the dancers turned toward the band to applaud their fine musical talents. Kurt felt like he was rooted to the spot, fixed to Blaine by the soft press of hands and the fierce passion of his eyes. Eventually he managed to make himself let go, hands coming up to applaud the musicians simply so they could have something to do now that they were bereft of Blaine's contact. Blaine gave him one last small smile, and then turned so that he was also facing the musicians.

Kurt had meant to give both Blaine and Sebastian time to settle into their new surroundings, he really had. Propositioning Blaine had never been part of his plans for how this night would end; it just wasn't how Kurt operated. It could have been due to his station - the last thing he needed was a social climber climbing right into his bed - or it could have simply been Kurt's desire to really know his submissive before he Dominated them, but even with his most casual of flings Kurt had always taken things slow, taken his time to make absolutely sure before making a move. With Blaine it just felt different though. The brief number of hours they had spent together had felt like the most extended of foreplays, and the Dominant inside of him was railing against the very idea of letting Blaine simply walk away. His usual reticence be damned; in that moment the notion of retiring alone that night felt absolutely incomprehensible.

Leaning over Blaine's shoulder, he spoke quietly enough that only Blaine would be able to hear him. "Would you like to spend the night in my quarters?"

Kurt could hear the air in Blaine's throat catch as he took in Kurt's request, his own clapping faltering for just a second as he processed what Kurt was asking. With a slightly shaky smile he twisted his head to look at Kurt, eyes flicking to the floor in a clear sign of deference. "It would be my honour, Sir."

Kurt grinned, and quickly turned to make his way toward the exit. The party was winding down, with a number of guests having already made their excuses, and more still too drunk to even notice whether the crown prince was still in attendance or not. He could be forgiven for slipping out a little early; maybe it was even expected of him, given what extra 'benefits' having a royal consort entailed these days.

Kurt didn't care about any of that, though. All he cared about was Blaine, and what the evening might bring them once they reached the privacy of his room. Nothing else mattered, nothing except…

He caught the eye of one of the pages waiting in the wings. The girl hurried over and gave a quick bow when she reached them. "Your Royal Highness," she said breathlessly, slightly dumbstruck at interacting with the crown prince first hand.

"Please, tell Sebastian Smythe that he may retire to his quarters whenever he desires. Blaine and I shall join him for breakfast at eight tomorrow." The message itself was perfectly civil, but the intent behind them could not have been any more obvious.

The page blushed as she bowed again, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Of course, Your Royal Highness. And...congratulations on your claiming." She stammered, as if not quite sure if she was overstepping some sort of boundary.

Kurt gave the girl a warm smile. "Thank you, have a good evening. Oh, and make sure you try some of the cake; I had the kitchen hold some back for the castle staff."

He watched as the girl hurried across to the far end of the great hall to deliver his message, allowing himself one more moment of selfish satisfaction at the reaction it would no doubt incite in his obnoxious consort. Then he firmly put all thoughts of Sebastian out of his head. Tonight, tonight was going to be all about Blaine.


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt and Blaine walked out of the great hall side by side, Kurt not quite managing to keep the satisfied smile off his face. "I'll admit, that was possibly a little bit petty, but I'm afraid I just couldn't help myself," Kurt said with a grin to Blaine as they rounded the corner away from the festivities. "You won't tell on me will you?"

Blaine gave a small smile in response, ducking his head bashfully as if not quite sure how to respond to Kurt's jokes at the obvious expense of his master.

The hall they were walking down was lined with ornate sculptures from all across the globe, and Kurt stepped slightly closer to Blaine as they walked so that he could give the history of a couple of the more interesting pieces.

"The lion over there was a present from the realm of Isaria when my father became magical guardian. Personally I think a grizzly bear would have been better suited to my father, but I guess there's something undeniably regal about the lion that just can't be ignored."

Blaine chanced another shy smile up at the prince, and Kurt desperately wanted to loop an arm around the submissive's waist, draw him closer as they talked. But it seemed like far too big a gesture all at once - theirs had been a courtship of coy smiles and finger touches up until this point after all. So instead he settled for brushing just the tips of his fingers along Blaine's upper arm, all the way from shoulder to elbow, as he directed his attention elsewhere in the corridor, relishing the shiver of excitement that rushed through him at the not-entirely chaste gesture.

"And then this … thing over here was a gift from Korus. Honestly I have no idea what it's supposed to be; as if we needed any more proof that they dislike us, they go and send us that monstrosity." He turned to grin at Blaine - the petty rivalry between Aldern and Korus was a common butt of jokes throughout the realm - but Blaine's returning smile now seemed just that little bit forced, the twist of his mouth catching in a way that made him look like he was trying to figure something out.

Kurt gave a small frown, confused by Blaine's sudden reticence. It was so unlike the overtly flirtatious tone of their earlier conversations, and it had Kurt a little thrown. Before he had a chance to ask if anything was the matter, however, they arrived outside the heavy oak door at the end of the hallway. The door that marked the last boundary between the very public setting of the rest of the castle, and the privacy of Kurt's bedchambers. "Well, this is it," Kurt commented lightly, wholly aware of how awkward this had the potential to be. Step into my lair, oh submissive of mine, and let me ravage you. He desperately hoped Blaine didn't see it that way; talk about mortifying.

Brittany was already in Kurt's bedchambers when they entered, turning down the comforter on Kurt's great four-poster bed with quick, practiced motions. When she heard the door open she straightened up, nodding a quick curtsy toward the pair of them. "Just one moment, Your Royal Kurt, and I'll be all finished."

"That's okay, Brittany, I know we left the banquet a bit earlier than we probably should have; there's only so much public inter-mingling that even I can take." Kurt turned again toward Blaine, inviting him to share the joke, but Blaine's expression was now fixed somewhere between nervous apprehension and full-blown panic. His entire body was rigid as he waited in the doorway, hands clasped fiercely behind his back as if it was the only thing holding him together. Kurt felt his smile faltering, wondered if he had maybe done something wrong in the few minutes of small talk it had taken for them to reach his quarters. He crossed over to the table in the far corner where Brittany had already laid out some refreshments. "Would you like anything to drink, Blaine? Water? Wine?"

"No…" Blaine's voice came out scratchy, and he coughed to clear his throat before continuing. "No thank you, Sir."

Brittany looked up from where she was now bent, bundling her tools into a wicker basket as as she prepared to leave. "Is this your person, Your Royal Kurt?" She asked curiously, head tilted slightly sideways like an inquisitive deer.

Kurt gave a small smile. "Brittany I'd like to introduce you to Blaine Anderson, my new submissive. Blaine, this is Brittany Pierce."

"He's pretty, I like this one," Brittany danced over towards Blaine and gave him a big hug without warning. Kurt had to stifle a grin at Blaine's shocked face peeking over Brittany's shoulder. Lovely as Brittany was, her no-holds-barred personality sometimes did take some getting used to.

Taking a step backward Brittany held onto Blaine's shoulders as she looked him deep in the eyes, suddenly very serious. "I hope you take good care of Kurt, Mr. Blaine. He's very special to me."

Blaine's eyes went even wider, if that was even possible, and he stammered slightly. "I will do my very best to please His Royal Highness. I only hope I can…"

"Brittany enough, you're scaring him," Kurt interrupted, his voice nonetheless fond as he chided the serving girl, moving to shoo her out of his chambers. As she stepped outside the room he spoke again, this time much quieter so that only Brittany could hear him. "Please have the kitchen staff bring up some dessert from the banquet in a few hours. I feel like we may need the sustenance." He gave Brittany a little eyebrow wiggle that was most un-royal as she turned to leave, and her peals of laughter could be heard all the way down the hallway.

With a fond smile, he turned back toward Blaine, who had still not moved more than three paces inside the room. They were now less than a foot apart, and Kurt could feel his heart racing, just like it had been when they had been dancing earlier. He wanted nothing more than to step forward, to close the gap between them and take Blaine in his arms, finally find out if those gorgeous lips tasted as good as they looked…

But Blaine was still standing there looking nothing short of absolutely terrified, and no, that would simply not do. With a small sigh Kurt took a very deliberate step backward, before walking over to to sit in one of the chairs stationed around the table in the corner.

"Would you…" This time it was Kurt who had to pause to clear his throat. "Would you come over here for a second please, Blaine?" Kurt motioned towards the seat next to him, and silently Blaine crossed the room to join him. Instead of sitting in the spare chair though, Blaine sank to his knees in front of Kurt, head bowed and hands clasped delicately behind his back in the perfect submissive pose. Kurt couldn't help the heavy exhale of air that escaped him in appreciation.

"Oh my god, Blaine," he muttered lowly under his breath. He had wanted to have this conversation with them both sitting, as equals, but if Blaine felt more comfortable on his knees like that, then who was Kurt to argue, especially when the view was this good?

Kurt coughed once more, desperately trying to clear his throat of the hot, possessive bubble that had formed at the truly breathtaking sight in front of him. "Okay Blaine, so there are some things that I wanted to…"

But before Kurt could finish his sentence, before he could begin the all-important conversation he had been rehearsing in the back of his brain since they left the great hall, Blaine's head snapped up to meet Kurt's gaze. His hands unclasped from behind his back and started to sneak seductively up over Kurt's thighs, tracing over his hips before dipping underneath the rim of Kurt's tunic.

For a moment Kurt was shocked into complete and utter silence, his brain struggling to process anything further than Blaine's beautiful eyes, which were now looking up at him from his position of supplication on the floor. Then those wonderfully long, deft fingers started to tug at the lacing of his pants, and he was abruptly snapped back to reality. This wasn't Blaine feeling more comfortable in a position of submission while they talked, this was Blaine going through the motions of what he clearly thought was expected of him. This was Blaine acting out 'submission', and the realization was like a bucket of ice down Kurt's spine.

"Blaine, Blaine please stop," Kurt spluttered, his hands coming down to grab at Blaine's wrists and drawing them back out from underneath his garments. Instantly Blaine's expression was contrite, and he dipped his gaze to the floor, gathering his hands back in his lap when Kurt released them.

"I'm sorry if my actions displeased you, Sir." Blaine practically whispered, and the man kneeling in front of Kurt was so unlike the joyous, effervescent submissive Kurt had danced with earlier it made his heart practically bleed.

"Oh sweetheart, you haven't displeased me. Not at all. Blaine, please come and sit so we can talk for a moment." Kurt's voice was soothing, gentle as he nudged at Blaine's elbow, encouraging him to rise and take his place on the seat next to him. Blaine perched on the edge of the chair, hands still in his lap, still avoiding eye contact with the prince.

"Blaine, look at me." Kurt tried again tentatively, lacing his voice with just a hint of Domination. Blaine's eyes immediately snapped up to meet the prince's, and oh, there they were again, beautiful pools of honey. Kurt was pretty sure the sight would never fail to take his breath away, and he sincerely hoped Blaine offered him many, many years for him to test that theory.

"Blaine, do you not want to be here?" Kurt spoke softly, not wanting to spook Blaine but also needing to know without a shadow of a doubt that he was not using his position or his designation to take advantage. "I know...I know that legally you are my submissive now, but this doesn't have to be anything you don't want it to be. If you don't want ...that sort of relationship with me all you have to do is say the word. I can send for a page to show you back to your quarters right this second. Or even back to Sebastian's quarters if you would prefer?" Dear god he hoped Blaine didn't choose to go back to Sebastian tonight, not after how Kurt had seen him treat Blaine at the banquet. But if Blaine wanted to then Kurt would not stop him.

Blaine's brow furrowed slightly as he processed what Kurt was asking, and Kurt could have sworn he saw a flash of hurt flit across the submissive's oh-so expressive features. "Did … did I do something wrong, Your Royal Highness? Do you not desire my services any more?"

"Oh no, sweetheart, no it's not like that at all. Of course I want…" Kurt forced himself to pause before his mouth got away from him, and he ended up saying something completely inappropriate given the topic of conversation. "Blaine, you are not a commodity to be simply used and discarded, you have to know that. I desire you, my god you have no idea how much I desire you Blaine, but I want you, not some 'service' you think you are obligated to offer me." Blaine's expression was still abashed, but now there was a hint of confusion as well, and Kurt had a horrible feeling he was going about this all wrong.

"Blaine, you are gorgeous, and interesting, and amazing in so many ways. Of course I would like our relationship to include...that. But there's so much else I would like from you as well. I want your mind, and your humour, and that laugh of yours; honestly I think you have the most wonderful laugh on the planet. And I wouldn't half mind seeing some of those dance moves again either." He paused for a second as Blaine chuckled a weak laugh, not quite as forceful but just as beautiful as Kurt remembered. "I don't know what your experiences with Sebastian have been like up until now, but I would very much like to experience all sides of you, if you'll let me?"

Kurt briefly wondered whether he had misstepped bringing up Blaine's relationship with Sebastian, if mentioning Blaine's current master would make him retreat back into himself again, but Blaine simply gave him a shaky smile, the warmth creeping back up into his eyes as he watched Kurt almost reverently.

"Most importantly though, what I'm trying to say is that I don't expect anything of you, Blaine. This is Aldern, and slavery was outlawed many years ago. Just because you are my submissive doesn't mean you have to do anything you don't want to." Kurt caught himself wondering if this was an insecurity common amongst submissives in general, or if this was another one of Sebastian's outdated ideals laying siege to Blaine's beautiful consciousness. Kurt gave a small shudder at the idea. It was truly horrifying what some Dominants put their submissives through.

"I...want to." Blaine's voice was quiet, but it didn't waver. Kurt took a second to look deep into Blaine's eyes. He had to know that that he wasn't lying to him.

"Are you sure? Because Blaine, darling, you looked nothing short of petrified over there by the door." Kurt gave a small smile as he spoke, encouraging Blaine to open up to him about whatever it was that was clearly still bothering him.

"I'm sorry, Your Royal Highness. I do want to be here, honestly I do." Blaine paused, brow furrowed as he took a moment to pick out his next words. "I'm just...I'm just scared I won't be able to please you. You're...you're the Crown Prince, and I'm just… well I'm just me. And what if I'm not good enough for you? What if I disappoint you?" Blaine clamped his mouth shut, as if scared he'd already said too much, and his eyes were wild as he forced himself to maintain eye contact with Kurt, his whole body practically humming with nervous energy.

Kurt paused for a long second, weighing up his options given Blaine's confession. Then slowly, without saying a word, he leaned forward, closing the gap between himself and Blaine inch by inch. When his lips were scant millimeters away from Blaine's he paused, giving the other boy every chance to move away if he wanted to. When Blaine didn't move he pressed forward oh-so lightly, so that their lips brushed together, just for a second, before he pulled away. His lips felt like they were pulsing with energy; he could feel every single point where his skin had touched Blaine's and he couldn't help bringing a hand up to trace along his own lips as he drew back, smiling slightly as he did so.

"I'm not worried about that in the slightest." Kurt's voice was fond, confident, and he allowed just a hint of Domination to slip into his words as he spoke."We'll go slow, work it out as we go along. But honestly, Blaine, I don't think you could disappoint me if you tried."

Blaine's nervous facade broke at that, and that dazzling smile spread once more across his features, warm and open and inviting. There, there was the man Kurt had danced with no more than an hour ago. It felt wonderful to have him back.

"Okay Blaine, I want you to strip. Clothes in a pile on the chair. A neat pile, Blaine. Then you may kneel for me." Kurt hadn't planned on undressing Blaine until after their discussion, had worried that it would set them on unequal footing right from the start. But that was before he had realized just how unequal Blaine already saw them as, just how frighteningly different Kurt's approach to Domination must be for the submissive. He needed to give Blaine an anchor, or else he risked him floating away entirely. As Blaine rose to standing, drawing his tunic up and over his head in calm, fluid motion before turning to fold it neatly on the chair next to him, Kurt could see his shoulders start to relax, his whole body turning supple as he followed the simple command.

Kurt waited patiently until Blaine was fully naked, then smiled in appreciation as Blaine folded himself once more into a kneeling position at Kurt's feet. "Good boy," he commented approvingly, enjoying the way the praise rippled through Blaine's body. Honestly, he couldn't believe he had thought for even one moment that Blaine's submissive act earlier had been the real thing - this, this was how a happy submissive was supposed to look.

"Okay, rules for tonight," Kurt said, settling back more comfortably in his chair. "One: I want absolute honesty from you at all times. No exceptions." He waited for Blaine to nod once before continuing. "Two: tonight, you call me Kurt. No sir's, no highnesses, just you and me, Kurt and Blaine. Can you do that for me?" Blaine paused for a second, brow crinkling in concentration as he thought it over.

"What happens if I forget, Kurt?" Kurt could see Blaine's mouth consciously shaping around his name, clumsily tacking onto the end of the sentence in order to test it out on his tongue.

"Then I will remind you, and we will move on. Which brings me to Rule Three: there will be no punishments tonight, no matter what happens. I want to get to know you tonight Blaine, which means anything goes. Of course, that won't always be the case, so you should probably make the most of it tonight." Kurt raised his eyebrow at Blaine, and was rewarded by a small giggle of laughter from his sub. Finally, they were both loosening up a little, settling just a bit more comfortably into this new dynamic of theirs.

"And lastly, Rule Four: If we do anything you're not comfortable with, anything at all, I want you to safeword. If there's something you need to process, or need time to get used to, I want you to safeword. Hell, if the tapestries on the wall are making you feel uneasy, I want you to safeword. I'm serious about this one Blaine; we have a separate slow-down safeword for a reason, and tonight I want you to err on the side of caution. I know you and Sebastian haven't used safewords much, or at all really, but I need you to promise you will use them with me tonight, or any other night, if you need to. Can you promise me that, Blaine?"

"I promise, Kurt." Blaine's voice was calm, relaxed. Kurt could practically see him slipping into the submissive mindset as Kurt listed off his commands for the night.

"Very good. Now I want you to go lie down on the bed for me, sweetheart, on your back. I'll be over in just a second."

Blaine nodded once, then gracefully rose to standing and made his way over to the four-poster bed. Kurt followed Blaine's progress across the room until he stopped in front of the bed, then he forced himself to draw his gaze away and back to the table in front of him. He breathed deeply, forcing himself to count slowly in his head to a hundred as his brain screamed at him to just skip everything from thirty-three to ninety-nine. As much as he wanted to just charge over there and simply devour Blaine - gorgeously naked Blaine, and what was the point of fifties anyway? - they both needed a chance to be alone before they were together. This was too important a moment for Kurt to risk it by moving too quickly.

Eventually, when he reached that all important hundred, Kurt stood up, and forced himself to slowly, oh so slowly, turn towards the bed.

And fuck, was that a sight to greet him.

Blaine was lying spread-eagle on top of the comforter, the warm tan of his skin complementing the deep maroon of a fabric underneath him beautifully. The color was high on his cheeks as he tilted his head to watch Kurt, eyes just a little glassy with anticipation.

"Beautiful," Kurt couldn't help whispering, and the corners of Blaine's lips twitched upwards in appreciation. Vocal then, Kurt made a mental note as he crossed the room towards the bed, towards Blaine.

Climbing up onto the mattress Kurt threw a leg over Blaine's form, settling down on top of his legs, just behind his cock. Blaine's breath stuttered softly as the fine silk of Kurt's hose rubbed against him, and Kurt could see Blaine's member swelling in anticipation. He wasn't the only one either; Kurt could feel his undergarments getting noticeably tighter as the took in and appreciated Blaine's naked form underneath him.

"Hands right above your head, Blaine sweetheart. I want both of them touching that headboard at all times."

Blaine arms immediately flew up to press against the firm mahogany, and Kurt didn't even try to suppress a groan of appreciation at the sub's lightning-fast reactions.

"Very good, Blaine. Now, I want you to talk to me, tell me everything. Tell me what it feels like when I do this…" Kurt paused to brush his fingertips feather-light up along Blaine's side, just grazing his left nipple before drawing away. A shudder tore through Blaine's body at the contact, and he let out a guttural moan.

"What was that? I can't hear you?" Kurt teased, fingers rippling out and over flesh once more, and there was that beautiful shudder again.

"Feels, feels good Sir, I mean … Kurt." Blaine stuttered out, breathing heavily as Kurt's fingers danced across his torso, index finger flicking out to rub circles around his right nipple.

"Come now Blaine, I think you can do better than that." Kurt chided softly, drawing the hard nub between his finger and thumb as Blaine gasped and arched into his touch.

"It's like…It's like I can feel you everywhere on me, but it's not enough. I want…" Blaine's mouth slammed shut, the blush furious against his cheeks as he looked wildly down at Kurt, as if nervous he had gone too far already.

"Tell me what you want, Blaine. I want to hear everything." Kurt commanded, voice low and controlling.

"I want, I want to feel…" Blaine's breath was coming in sharp, short pants, like his body was warring with what he wanted, and what he was able to admit to wanting.

"Shhh, easy there Blaine." Kurt soothed, fingers pinching just a little harder against Blaine's nipple to keep his focus.

"I want your lips on mine. Yes, please Kurt. It felt so good earlier. Please, please can I feel them again?" Blaine's eyes had slipped shut as he talked, and Kurt reached up to trace along Blaine's jaw.

"Eyes open, sweetheart. I want to see that beautiful gaze." He waited until Blaine's eyelashes fluttered open again before slowly leaning down, inch by inch, until he could press the softest of kisses against Blaine's lips.

Blaine gave a blissful sigh, and his whole body relaxed underneath Kurt's. Kurt took the opportunity to surge forward, his entire body pressed up against Blaine's as his tongue flicked out to taste Blaine. Almost immediately Blaine's lips parted in greeting, and Kurt lost no time in delving in, exploring the soft cavern of Blaine's inviting mouth.

Eventually he drew away, panting softly, eyes never leaving Blaine's as he straightened back up. Blaine's expression was so open, so honest, and Kurt could feel the affection swelling in his chest, threatening to burst right out of him.

"I'm going to show you a whole new side to Domination tonight, Blaine." Kurt promised as his hand slipped down to caress Blaine's balls, full and heavy against his legs. Blaine let out a soft whimper, squeezing his eyes shut and drawing his lower lip through his teeth. It was so plump so inviting, Kurt just wanted to lean down and bite it. So he did, wIth a soft scrape of teeth against moist flesh.

"Eyes on me, darling. I won't say it again." Blaine's eyes snapped open instantly, as if obeying Kurt's commands was as much a part of him as breathing. And all the time Kurt's deft fingers never stopped their gentle teasing of Blaine's balls.

"How does that feel, Blaine?" Kurt asked again as his hand moved north, forming a loose fist as he lightly rolled up and down Blaine's shaft.

"Oh...oh god. It's been so long," Blaine's voice was hoarse and desperate, and Kurt couldn't help grinning.

"So long since you last came?" He pressed, wanting, needing to hear more from that wonderfully ragged voice.

"So long since I had someone touch me...like that oh god." Blaine's voice cracked and rose an octave as Kurt tightened his grip, twisting around Blaine's crown in a motion he knew was a crowd-pleaser.

Kurt's gaze was positively wicked as he shuffled backward along Blaine's prone form, never breaking eye-contact as he slowly, deliberately leaned down to lick a long, dirty stripe all the way from the base of Blaine's dick right over the tip, point of his tongue just teasing at Blaine's slit.

"Sir!" Blaine's voice was laced with hysteria, and Kurt immediately sat back up, expression concerned.

"Sir...I mean Kurt, Sir...you can't…that's my job...you shouldn't have to..." Blaine stuttered out, the clear arousal coursing through his body at war with this new concern that clouded his eyes, and Kurt knew exactly what Blaine meant.

"Blaine." He interrupted calmly, and Blaine mouth slammed shut once again. Kurt waited a long moment, taking his time to fully make eye contact with Blaine before slowly leaning forward and pressing a soft, warm kiss to Blaine's slightly-parted lips. When he drew away Blaine was still looking stunned, but some of the tension had left his limbs, and his entire focus was fixated on Kurt, as if his very being hinged upon what his Dominant decided to do next.

"Blaine, what rules have I given you tonight?" Kurt asked, his tone brokering no room for discussion.

"Um, you told me to..." Blaine stammered, and Kurt quietened his babbling with a small shhh.

"Rule One, Blaine." He prompted firmly.

"Rule One...honesty. At all times." Blaine replied quietly.

"Very good. Now Rule Two."

"Rule Two… First names. Rule Three, safewords. Rule Four, no punishments." Kurt could see the knots of tension in Blaine's chest start to unwind as he recited out the given rules, relaxing as he followed the simple instruction from his Dom. "Hands on the headboard. Eye contact. Tell you everything."

"Very good Blaine." Kurt praised warmly. "Now tell me, which of those rules states that you have to pleasure me, and not the other way around?"

"Ummm…." Blaine stammered, expression confused.

"I told you I was going to show you a new side to Domination tonight, didn't I?" Kurt said, waiting for Blaine to give a small nod of assent before continuing. "Now I would very much like to taste that gorgeous looking cock of yours, and hear your beautiful voice tell me just how good it feels when I do. Your only 'job' tonight Blaine, is to open yourself up to me, and let me take care of you. Can you do that for me sweetheart?"

"Yes, Kurt," Blaine breathed softly, expression filled with something akin to wonder.

"Good boy," Kurt muttered warmly, before dipping his head and sinking his lips down onto Blaine's fully erect cock in one swift movement.

"Oh, oh my god," Blaine whined desperately, hips shuddering upward as Kurt engulfed him in the warm heat of his mouth. Kurt brought his hand up to splay firmly across Blaine's stomach, pressing the sub down into the mattress before slipping off his cock with a lewd pop.

"Remember Blaine, hands on that headboard, and tell me everything."

"It's, oh fuck. I don't remember it ever feeling like this before. I can feel your tongue, right, oh god right there there, yes, yes. And your mouth, it's like you're closing in on me from all sides." Blaine broke off, panting heavily as Kurt worked him over, hollowing his cheeks as he sucked, and licked, and used every trick he knew on Blaine's beautifully receptive cock.

"I...I'm getting close. Please, Kurt, not yet. I don't want this to be over, please." Blaine was babbling now, the pleas falling thick and fast from his lips as Kurt sped up his ministrations to match.

"Ah, ah, aaaah," Kurt could hear nails scrabbling against wood as Blaine's hands desperately sought purchase, and he loosened his lips, dragging the flat pad of his tongue up and along the thick vein on the underside of Blaine's shaft as he drew off his cock, letting the cool air rush in and replace the warm heat of his mouth against Blaine's now spit-slick skin.

Underneath him, Blaine looked thoroughly wrecked, eyes glassy and skin flushed, a thin sheen of sweat dusting his brow. Almost lazily, Kurt brought his hand up to slowly drag up and down Blaine's cock again, enjoying the full-body shudders the action elicited.

"Did that feel good, Blaine?" He prompted.

"Oh, oh god so good. I had forgotten…" Blaine's sentence cut off abruptly as a high whine ripped it's way out of him, his whole body arching up into Kurt's touch as the struggled to keep a lid on his rapidly approaching orgasm.

"Do you want to come, Blaine?" Kurt asked, eyes innocent as he started to speed up his stroking.

"Yes...oh, oh...please yes…" Blaine had to practically force the words out between his laboured breaths, and Kurt could see his whole body tensing up in preparation for what it clearly knew was coming next. But not quite yet, Kurt had decided.

"How much do you want to come?" He prompted again. "How much Blaine?"

"Please, please Kurt. I want to come for you, I want to be yours." Blaine's voice was utterly broken, completely debauched.

"You are mine, Blaine. So very perfectly mine. Okay darling, you may come whenever you're ready." Kurt offered his permission to Blaine like a gift, and within a matter of seconds Blaine was crying out, back arching up as his orgasm burst from him, covering his belly and torso with his milky-white release.

Kurt was still achingly hard in his briefs as he carefully rolled to the side and off Blaine, craning his body awkwardly to press a warm kiss to Blaine's lips while determinedly avoiding the mess on his chest (he was still fully clothed after all, and this outfit had taken months to prepare). But he found that it was more of a dull ache, secondary and complementary to the warmth he could feel in his chest as he took in Blaine's lax form in front of him. His desire to come was wholly overshadowed by his desire to care for his submissive, to make sure that when Blaine came back to himself he felt happy, and sated, and loved. That, that was what was most important to him in that moment

With a soft sigh he dragged his gaze away from Blaine, and focused on the basin on the other side of the room. With a flick of his wrist a square washcloth jumped up, doused itself in water, and then wrung itself out before making its way through the air to crumple delicately into Kurt's waiting hand. Blaine turned his head in response to the movement, expression slightly dopey as he smiled bashfully up at the prince. Kurt couldn't help but smile back as he tenderly wiped down Blaine's chest, fingers of his spare hand tracing across the damp skin as he worked.

"So beautiful," he muttered to himself, before placing the cloth on the bedside table so that he could draw his tunic over his head, and shuffle out of his pants.

When he was fully undressed he slid closer to Blaine. "You can move your hands now sweetheart," he whispered softly, leaning across to press a chaste kiss to Blaine's temple.

Slowly as if coming up out of a dream, Blaine's hands drew away from where they had still been pressed up against the headboard, and Kurt reached out to bring them into his lap, massaging at the wrists to encourage blood-flow after so long at what must have been an awkward angle. Blaine had never once complained though. He had been so obedient, so pliant, so completely perfect. As Kurt worked at soothing Blaine's tired limbs, Blaine twisted onto his side, curling into Kurt's warmth and tilting his head up to place a soft kiss to Kurt's cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered softly, the words slipping out alongside his breathing, more of a thought than an active statement.

Kurt smiled, muttering a soft "You're so very welcome, sweetheart," in response. But Blaine was already pillowing his head on Kurt's shoulder, slipping effortlessly into slumber as Kurt watched on, his heart swelling with warmth for the beautiful, breathtaking submissive sleeping softly in his arms.

* * *

On the other side of the castle, alone under the cold clutches of newly pressed sheets, Sebastian frantically fisted at his depressingly hard cock, eyes firmly squeezed shut as he tried to pretend that it was anything other than his own hand sliding up and down his shaft in quick, haphazard motions.

"That's it Blaine, just like that," he muttered to himself, trying to conjure up the image of his submissive in his head; kneeling between his knees as his hands ran over Sebastian's length. Or maybe bent over the side of the bed as Sebastian pounded into him from behind. The images in his brain were quick and fleeting, never staying in one form long enough for Sebastian to latch onto and fully enjoy. With a small sigh he sped up his movements, eager to sate his sexually frustrated body so that his tired brain could finally get some rest. It had been a long day, too long, and this was certainly not how he had envisaged it ending.

"One more word, Sebastian…" The Crown Prince's voice floated unbidden through Sebastian's brain, and he felt his entire body tense up at the memory. "...spend entirety of the banquet at my feet."

With a short cry Sebastian was coming, back arching up off the bed as his release bubbled up and over his fist, splattering down onto his chest in sharp, messy bursts. Panting heavily, Sebastian relaxed back down onto the mattress, taking in big gasps of air as his brain clamoured noisily against his skull, angrily demanding to be acknowledged in its hysteria.

What the hell had just happened?


	5. Chapter 5

Kurt woke the next morning feeling the sort of restful contentment that didn't come often to the young prince. He was always active, always alert, his poor brain working so hard even in his sleep that sometimes he woke up feeling just as tired as when he had gone to bed. But not this morning. This morning he felt refreshed, ready to take on the world, and with a grin he tilted his head slightly to the right to gaze upon the cause of his wonderful night's sleep.

Blaine was lying on his side facing Kurt, face partly buried in the fluffy pillow underneath him, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His jet black hair, so carefully styled during the day, was now a ragged mess, and Kurt noticed for the first time that it actually had a slight curl to it. Carefully, so as not to wake the sleeping boy, Kurt reached over to gently stroke through it, luxuriating in the sensation of soft strands slipping through his fingertips. In response Blaine's smile grew wider, and he burrowed contentedly even further into the pillow.

It was truly a perfect way to wake, and Kurt allowed himself a long moment to simply bask in the satisfaction that surrounded him. He had been dreading this day for a very long time; his first real day as guardian of the realm. And as if his internal insecurities hadn't been bad enough, his disastrous interactions with Sebastian at the banquet the previous night had done absolutely nothing to assuage his fears. Right now though, with beautiful Blaine next to him and the warm sunlight pouring in from the huge bay windows casting intricate patterns across the bedspread, Kurt was struggling to see why he had ever been concerned. Everything would sort itself out in the end. How could it not?

As Kurt quietly marvelled at the sheer perfection of the morning he had woken up to, he allowed himself a moment to fantasize about how the rest of his perfect day would go. He and Blaine would take their time getting up, all coy smiles and soft laughter between them. Blaine would help Kurt into his tunic, and Kurt would tie Blaine's neck-tie for him. He could practically feel the smooth silk against the gorgeous, supple skin of Blaine's neck. And then, once they had joined him for breakfast, Sebastian would be the charming man Kurt had met at the interview proceedings, rather than the sullen brute he had apparently morphed into at the banquet. Kurt would make amends for how he himself had acted the night before - because he was a gracious, mature guardian of the realm, and being at loggerheads with one another wouldn't help them, Blaine, or the Kingdom - and then the two of them would put any and all grudges behind them as they moved forwards side-by-side, working together to create a better future for Aldern.

Okay, so maybe Kurt's optimism was getting away from him a little bit, but at least he could dream. He always had been a strong believer in positive outlooks after all.

With another fond glance over at Blaine, Kurt rolled away and made to slide out of the bed so that he could start his morning routine. Before he could move very far, however, an arm snaked out from behind him, looping around his waist and hauling him back across the mattress so that his back was pressed right up against Blaine's chest. Kurt was momentarily surprised at the sudden gesture, but then Blaine buried his face into the crook of Kurt's neck, nuzzling contentedly against the warm flesh, and everything fell back into perfect alignment once again.

With a smile Kurt craned his neck back and twisted just enough so that he could press an awkward kiss to the the very tip of Blaine's nose.

"Morning sweetheart," he whispered softly, not wanting to disturb Blaine when he was so obviously peaceful.

"Mmmm…morning," Blaine replied lazily, his hold around Kurt's midriff tightening as he dragged Kurt even closer into his embrace. From his position Kurt could feel the warm press of naked flesh all along his back, from shoulder to ass, and he contentedly wriggled backwards into Blaine's soft, sleepy form. Soft, sleepy, and just a bit horny, he couldn't help but notice as he felt the hard press of Blaine's morning arousal dig against the crack of his ass.

"Having good dreams are we?" He teased lightly, grinding back against Blaine's erection as he spoke to truly emphasize his point.

Blaine's eyes snapped open at the movement, and his entire body stiffened as he slowly processed his surroundings. Back jerked his hips, Blaine's ass sticking out awkwardly as - to Kurt's intense disappointment - he dragged that beautiful cock away from Kurt's all-too-willing rear.

"I'm, I'm so sorry, Your Royal Highness," he stammered, clearly embarrassed, into Kurt's neck where his nose was still buried. That, of course, was the next appendage to disappear; neck stiff and jaw rigid as Blaine's head jerked away from it's comfortable pillow. And then, when Blaine's hasty retreat was still hampered by his cradling embrace, that too was hurriedly retrieved, arms drawn back into his chest as he scooted backward across the bed.

In the space of three seconds Blaine had gone from contented lover to skittish submissive, and Kurt was left with his head reeling at the sudden switch.

"Please forgive me, Kurt, Sir, Your Royal Highness. I don't know what I was thinking-"

"Blaine!" Kurt interrupted hastily before Blaine could get too far ahead of himself. "It's fine, honestly, I was enjoying it. Please, come back over here." He held out an arm in invitation. "It's been far too long since I woke up with such a beautiful man next to me; I'd like to enjoy it for a while longer, wouldn't you?"

Blaine hesitated, eyes flicking between Kurt's outstretched arm and his face, before giving a small, slightly embarrassed smile and climbing into Kurt's embrace.

"I guess I overreacted a little bit, didn't I?" he commented wryly as he pillowed his head on Kurt's chest, arm coming out to sneak back around Kurt's stomach as Kurt's arm settled around Blaine's shoulders.

"Maybe a little," Kurt agreed fondly. "But that's okay. This is new for both of us, and sleep does terrible things to your brain."

"Good things as well though, I hope. That was the best night's sleep I've had in ages." Blaine commented lightly, voice far more at ease than it had been moments earlier. "In fact…" Kurt felt Blaine's morning hardness press back against his hip, a small but pointed gesture with blindingly obvious intent.

Kurt gave a short, startled laugh, completely unprepared for Blaine's forwardness given his panicked display moments earlier. Watching Blaine was sometimes like watching two very different submissives battling for control, but the bright, enthusiastic submissive seemed to be winning out more and more often, the more time Blaine spent in Kurt's company. Kurt resolved to do everything he could to make it a more permanent fixture.

"Dear god, I've created a monster!" He teased playfully, pressing a kiss to Blaine's temple to show him how okay he really was with the suggestion. "Okay, give me a second to freshen up, and then you can show me exactly how good you are."

* * *

And oh, Baine was so very, _very _good. By the time Kurt came back to himself after the most mind-blowing of orgasms - with Blaine nestled happily between his legs working his cock over with his mouth like it was the most precious delicacy he had ever experienced - the minute hand of the wall clock on the far side of the room was ticking dangerously towards eight. Even with Kurt forgoing most of his morning routine, the pair couldn't avoid being over twenty minutes late to breakfast with Sebastian.

"You're late," Sebastian muttered petulantly as the two boys were shown into his quarters by the morning staff on duty.

"My apologies Sebastian," Kurt replied, keeping his voice light and amicable as he made to sit at the breakfast table opposite Sebastian. "It was entirely my fault, I overslept horribly, and I have a morning routine that I'm afraid simply cannot be skipped, no matter how hard I try." As he spoke he cast a quick glance over at Blaine to see how he would react to Kurt's blatant fib. The submissive was looking steadfastly at the floor, but Kurt could see the hint of a smile tease at the corner of his mouth, and he felt his own lips responding in kind.

Looking back at Sebastian, he could see the other boy's gaze flicking between him and Blaine, the crease of his brow obvious against his otherwise smooth skin. "Hmmm…" Sebastian muttered lowly, but offered nothing further.

Taking a deep, steadying breath against the wall of anger that had already started to bubble to the surface when faced with Sebastian's seemingly insufferable presence, Kurt forced himself to remember the fantasy he had played out that morning, how he had promised himself this meeting would go. Turning toward one of the serving staff waiting by the table, he made sure to school his voice and expression into something more civil as he addressed the poor man who was only doing his job in what had to be the most awkward of settings. "Please would you bring out a cushion for Blaine here - Sebastian, which side does Blaine usually kneel for you?"

Sebastian's head snapped up in surprise from where he had been determinedly studying his plate in front of him, his expression now one of unveiled confusion.

"I feel like we got off on the wrong foot yesterday," Kurt clarified, voice still overly casual. "I thought maybe we could start again?" _Here, here's my olive branch. Please just take it so we can move on._

Sebastian studied Kurt silently for a long moment, as if trying to work out Kurt's angle. Eventually he nodded at the servant, who had returned carrying a plush velvet pillow. "You may put it on my left." Sebastian started to turn his attention back to his breakfast, but after catching a meaningful glance from Kurt he turned back to the servant, flicking his gaze briefly across at Kurt as he finished his sentence "...thank you. I appreciate it."

And maybe Kurt was imagining things, maybe he was simply grasping at anything, _anything _that might make it seem like they were actually starting to make progress, but he couldn't help thinking that Sebastian wasn't just talking to the servant when he said that.

Sebastian spent a long time rearranging the pillow on the floor to his taste, moving it inch by inch until he was completely satisfied. Only then, for the first time since they had entered the room, did Sebastian turn his attention to Blaine. For a long, long moment Dominant and submissive simply stared silently at one another, a conversation entirely made up of the smallest of non-verbal inflections. Finally, Sebastian nodded his approval. "Come, kneel," he commanded, snapping his fingers in the direction of the pillow.

Blaine instinctively started over toward Sebastian, but caught himself before the first foot-fall, turning toward Kurt almost as if he suspected the whole scenario to be trick. Kurt gave a small nod of encouragement, and the corners of Blaine's mouth twisted upward in gratitude. He gave a tiny nod of deference in Kurt's direction before quickly walking over and sinking gracefully down onto the pillow next to Sebastian, head bowed and hands palm-down on his knees in his standard position of submission.

"Good boy," Sebastian said approvingly, hand coming down to card through Blaine's hair as he spoke, and Kurt was almost sure he heard a hum of contentment from Blaine. Before he could give himself a chance to feel jealous at Blaine offering himself to Sebastian like that, Kurt quickly made to grab a roll from the big basket of freshly-baked goods in the center of the table, busying himself with filling the plate in front of him as he spoke.

"So, its been less than eighteen hours since our claiming, and I'm sure the naysayers are already complaining about inactivity. Quite what they were expecting I have no idea, but I guess that's beside the point. I was thinking that after breakfast I could give you and Blaine a tour of some of the closer villages. It would be a good opportunity to help you get to know the local area a bit better, and maybe showing our faces will put some of the gossip-mongers to rest, for a little while at least."

It turned out that, differences in opinion over submissive training aside, Kurt and Sebastian were actually capable of getting along reasonably well when they put their minds to it. Even though this was his first real visit to the royal castle, Sebastian quickly proved himself to be surprisingly astute regarding court politics. As they discussed which of the nobility they needed to work extra hard to woo, Kurt was happy to discover that that Sebastian's take on some of the more unsavory characters from the previous night's banquet lined up pretty well with his own - possibly more tactfully put - opinions. Conversation flowed easily and naturally between the two Dominants, and Kurt was pleasantly reassured to notice that Sebastian was offering Blaine regular tidbits of food from across the full range of eatables in front of them - even during his most passionate of speeches.

As the serving staff cleared the last of the food from the table, Kurt caught himself thinking that maybe, just maybe, this arrangement wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Sebastian had expected a sizeable entourage to accompany them into the village - what with Kurt being the crown prince and he the new political consort after all - but Kurt simply laughed at the suggestion when he brought it up.

"We're only heading into the village, don't tell me you're scared Sebastian," Kurt teased as Sebastian scowled.

"I'm a realist; there's a difference," he huffed a little petulantly.

"Most of the villagers I've known since I was a little boy. I think if they wanted to do me harm they would have been better placed to do it when I was a toddler always running away from my guardians," Kurt chuckled in response. Sebastian noticed some of the older serving staff hiding their own grins behind their hands; obviously the prince had been a bit of a nightmare child when he was younger. Now why did that not surprise Sebastian in the slightest?

"Still," Sebastian persisted, "It is our first day in public, maybe some propriety wouldn't go amiss just this once?" He was not about to be the political consort who let harm come to the realm's guardian on his first day. Not going to happen.

"Propriety is overrated," Kurt said, waggling his eyebrows at Blaine, who laughed softly into his chest. When Sebastian opened his mouth to argue, Kurt followed up more seriously. "The royal guard will be patrolling every part of the market, and they'll be more than enough to keep us out of harm's way. I just think it would be good for people to meet you and Blaine without having to fight through eight layers of escort to do it, don't you?"

As much as Sebastian hated to admit it, Kurt did have a point. He took a second to really consider the alternative, before quietly nodding his assent. Kurt gave him a broad smile before clapping his hands together excitedly. "In that case, shall we be on our way?"

As the the three boys made their way into town, Kurt took his time explaining to Sebastian and Blaine the various intricacies of the lands surrounding the royal castle.

"Unlike most estates, we don't have separate holdings surrounding the royal castle to look after the smaller villages," Kurt explained as they walked down the long, winding road that led from the castle to the market village at the foot of the hill. "Officially it's because the royal estate is so large that we can quite easily keep an eye on a number of villages without needing the assistance of intermediary holdings, but in reality it's because royalty of old were uncomfortable with nobility and their armies claiming ownership of land quite so close to the castle walls. I like to think we've moved past such outdated fears now, but the old traditions still stand I guess."

Sebastian briefly considered revealing that he did actually know much of what Kurt was explaining - lapse in judgement over the contract aside, Sebastian was nothing if not thorough - but eventually decided to leave the prince to it. He seemed so animated about it after all.

Kurt's eager chattering kept them occupied until they reached the main market square, where the morning hustle and bustle was in full swing. As they wound their way between the myriad of different carts and stalls, the townspeople would pause to greet their crown prince, bowing and curtseying with a deferential 'Your Royal Highness'. Kurt obviously visited the market often, as he greeted many of the men and women by name.

"Rufus, how are you?" Kurt said happily to a middle-aged man behind a cart selling huge wheels of cheese.

"Very well, Your Royal Highness," Rufus replied with an easy familiarity towards the prince that completely startled Sebastian. "Except Maryanna is refusing to let go of Bobby long enough for us to bathe her, the little scamp."

Kurt gave a high, musical laugh. "Oh, I am sorry! Well tell her if she's very good and does what her Da and Ma say, there might be a new outfit for Bobby next time I'm in town." Turning toward Sebastian and Blaine who were looking on, thoroughly confused at the entire exchange, Kurt explained with a wry smile. "Bobby's a wasn't exactly a lot to do as a young prince who hated ball games, so I got pretty handy with a needle and thread. It helps me to think, even now, and I've had a lot to think about recently I guess."

It was a slightly sobering statement, a reminder of exactly why Sebastian was here, walking through the village next to the Crown Prince of Aldern. A brief moment of silence followed, and Sebastian made a pointed attempt to really take in the market around them, with all of its morning activity, before the silence grew too awkward. There really was nothing like a village on market day; Sebastian had almost forgotten. It had been far too long since he had last taken the time out to appreciate the areas he was in charge of. He couldn't help thinking that Kurt possibly had the right of it, making sure to visit as regularly as he so obviously did.

"Would you like to try some, Your Grace?" Rufus' voice brought Sebastian's attention back to the cart in front of them, confused by the man's more formal tone. Was he talking to him?

Blaine looked up startled from where he had been inspecting one of the huge wheels of cheese that had been stacked high near the front of the cart. "Oh…" he stammered, caught off-guard at being addressed so directly. "I was just … these are truly impressive wheels you have here?" His voice flicked up at the end almost like a question as his gaze flicked nervously between Kurt and Sebastian, like he wasn't quite sure if he was allowed to speak.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Rufus easily skimmed over Blaine's sudden hesitance as he reached over to grab his cheese wire and slice a sliver off one of the closest wheels. "It's the diet we feed the cows, best in the land it is," he explained as he offered the slice to Blaine with a small, half aborted bow.

Blaine accepted the cheese, and obligingly nibbled at the edge. "This is really very good," he exclaimed, voice growing more confident as he offered Rufus the genuine praise.

"The missus will be so pleased to hear you think so." Rufus replied, practically beaming with pride.

"Lotty churns all the milk for the cheese, she's incredibly talented." Kurt supplied as he accepted another slice of cheese from Rufus, breaking it in two and offering half to Sebastian.

"I used to help the milkmaids back at the Anderson holding; we never could get the wheels this large without cracks appearing though." Blaine replied, addressing Rufus but keeping one eye on Kurt as he spoke, taking his cues from the prince as he found his footing in the conversation.

"Would you like to visit the farm some time, Blaine?" Kurt asked, voice encouraging. Blaine started at the suggestion, brow furrowed slightly as he turned back to Rufus.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble?" He offered cautiously. "I would love to meet your family, and maybe even see these famous cows for myself!"

"But of course!" Rufus replied so enthusiastically that Blaine jumped a little. "You are most welcome any time, any time Your Grace!"

"Oh, just Blaine is absolutely fine," Blaine replied with a wry smile, and Rufus grinned back all the wider for it.

Blaine, it turned out, was a complete natural. Everywhere they went in the market he made friends, chatting with the royal guard and the tavern-girls alike. The further into the market they progressed, the more Blaine flourished, and Kurt seemed happy to let Blaine direct their route as they wound through the moderately-sized market village at a leisurely pace. Sebastian, for his part, was happy to take a step back and assess the goings-on of the village from a distance, as was his habit.

"Have you ever considered rearranging the layout of the stalls?" he asked Kurt curiously as they side-stepped a bustling cart full of heavy, earthenware pots. "If you moved the ropework stalls further inland toward the castle then the ships landing for repairs would have to walk through the entire market to reach them. You'd bring in much more incidental trade that way."

Kurt cocked his head sideways as he considered Sebastian's suggestion, running his lower lip through his teeth as his eyes took in the scene in front of him. "You know, that's not a half bad idea. I'll discuss it with Tobias and Suzanne, see if they wouldn't mind trading places. I'm sure Tobias would much prefer his fish stall to be closer to the waterfront as well." The prince smiled appreciatively at Sebastian, who couldn't help the intense feeling of gratification in response to the gesture. It was nice to feel like he was actually starting to do things right in his new role.

"We could visit them both on our way back." Sebastian suggested. "I wouldn't mind taking another look at those braided ropes Suzanne had for sale. They really were impressive."

"I didn't know you sailed?" Kurt asked curiously.

"Oh I can't stand sailing." Sebastian replied casually. "Wind and waves and saltwater. I honestly can't think of anything worse."

"But then why would you need rope?" Kurt pressed, and Sebastian couldn't help smirking at the prince's painfully obvious innocence.

"Oh, there's more than one use for rope, especially good, strong rope like that." Sebastian replied coyly, throwing a grin in Blaine's direction. "Isn't that right, Blaine?"

And honestly, Sebastian wasn't sure what he enjoyed more; the hot embarrassed flush that coloured Kurt's cheeks as he realised exactly what Sebastian was referring to, or the hum of appreciation from Blaine as the submissive ducked his head in response, his whole body shivering in heady anticipation.

"I might not have any interest in the open sea, but I could rival any sailor with my knowledge of knots," he purred, voice dropping low so that only Kurt and Blaine could hear him. "What do you think Blaine, have you been impressed by my skills?"

"Yes, Master," Blaine replied, voice quiet and filled with promise.

"Isn't that right, _boy_." Sebastian practically mouthed the last word, thoroughly enjoying the hoarse whine that was Blaine's only response. He could practically see the desire coursing through his submissive's body. Oh yes, he was going to have _fun _with his new purchases tonight.

"Okay…Well, we can see if we have time at the end." Kurt's voice, loud and clear, cut through the air, and Sebastian turned with a slight scowl towards the prince for interrupting. Kurt gave a pointed nod over at Blaine, who was looking more than a little dazed, shaking his head from side to side as if in an attempt to clear it. Maybe the prince was right; any further and Blaine would have been on his knees right there in the middle of the market.

They walked for another fifteen minutes in companionable near-silence, taking in the sights and sounds around them, offering up tidbits of conversation when the mood struck without feeling the need to provide a constant stream of entertainment.

"He really is good at this," Kurt commented idly as they both watched Blaine compliment an old lady on her brightly-colored rugs and shawls for sale.

"He always has been, ever since we were children." Sebastian agreed. "When we were six he used to charm the Smythe milkmaids into giving us the cream off the tops of the barrels. Our nursemaids could never understand why we were never hungry!"

Kurt's laughter drew Blaine's attention, and he turned towards them curiously, obviously wondering what the prince was finding so entertaining. Kurt simply grinned and waved Blaine back to his conversation. "Yes, I can definitely imagine that," he agreed, and Sebastian couldn't mistake the fondness in his tone. Instead of feeling jealous though - as he suspected he probably should feel given the circumstances - he simply felt happy that others saw Blaine's bright spark like he did.

"I've always thought that if Blaine hadn't been a submissive he could have had a great career as a political advisor. I might have even had some competition!" Sebastian said with a grin at Kurt.

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Blaine not a sub? I'm not sure I can imagine that; I don't think I've ever met a more perfect submissive."

"Oh I don't deny that," Sebastian agreed adamantly. "It's just an interesting thought exercise I do sometimes, to consider the different paths that life might take a person."

"But why change Blaine's designation? Why change something that makes him so fundamentally him?" Kurt queried curiously, eyes flicking back towards Blaine with a fond smile.

"Well, that's the thing that everything hinges on isn't it?" Sebastian explained. "There isn't a whole lot of variance in a submissive's story. Get your designation, find your Dominant, live happily ever after. A Dominant has more options, more routes available."

"Hmmm, that's a pretty narrow viewpoint you've got there. There are no laws against a submissive taking on any job they choose." Kurt argued, his tone now laced with the hint of an edge.

"Okay yes, _technically _there are no laws against it." Sebastian conceded. "But practically, it just doesn't work like that, you know that as well as I do."

"No, no I'm not sure I do," Kurt countered, his voice now decidedly icy.

Sebastian gave a small huff, wondering why Kurt was being so obtuse about the whole thing. "Submissives just aren't suited for roles of importance, it's just not in their nature. I know it can be hard to understand as a Dominant sometimes, but really most submissives don't even _want _anything more than to be claimed."

"As much as I'm sure you'd like to believe that you're the absolute authority on all things submissive, that just isn't true Sebastian." Kurt bit back, making sure to keep his voice low so that passers-by couldn't hear their steadily more heated discussion. "Maybe people thought like that a hundred years ago, but here in the modern day we're just that little bit more progressive."

"It has nothing to do with being progressive," Sebastian sighed, wondering how Kurt could possibly be so naive about how things worked in the real world, outside the walls of his beautiful, high-gated castle. "It's just the way things are. Always have been, always will."

"Maybe so if nobody ever thinks to take a stand against it!" Kurt exclaimed, and then a look of sheer disgust flittered across his features. "Please..._please_ tell me you haven't been feeding Blaine drivel like that all his life. Have you ever even _asked _him if wants to do more than simply be your submissive?"

"Why would he ever want to be more than my sub? I provide well enough for him, and Blaine knows the way the world is," Sebastian replied hotly, starting to take offense now that the discussion had turned personal.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean he has to just take it! And it certainly doesn't mean you should either! Why aren't you fighting for your sub? Or do you prefer it this way, your own personal sex-slave, available any hour of the day?"

Sebastian threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Why are you so convinced that I'm an awful Dominant?"

"Because so far you've not given me the slightest indication to suggest that you're not!" Kurt hissed venomously, only just managing to avoid the attention of the villagers around them. It was enough to draw Blaine's focus though; he had stopped his conversation with the older lady, and was now looking over at the two Dominants in concern.

Sebastian sighed, rubbing his temples in sudden exhaustion. This constant barrage of abuse from the prince regarding his style of Dominance was growing very tiresome very quickly. "If you'll excuse me, _Your Royal Highness,_ I think I'm finished with the tour for today. Blaine, come on, we're going back to the castle."

Blaine's gaze flicked from Kurt and Sebastian back toward the stall behind him, and if Sebastian had been looking closely he would have noticed the unhappy expression that flickered across his submissive's face as the prospect of leaving. As it was, though, Sebastian just wanted to get back to the castle, and all he saw was time-wasting hesitation. "_Now_, Blaine, or there will be consequences."

"Blaine can stay here if he wants." Kurt interrupted. "He's clearly happy here, Sebastian. I can bring him back to the castle when he's finished meeting the rest of the village." Kurt's voice was placating, but Sebastian was having none of it.

"I will not say it again_. Now_, Blaine," he commanded, his voice laced with threat. Immediately, Blaine's back snapped ramrod straight, and he quickly hurried over to Sebastian, eyes fixed determinedly on the floor in front of him. "We will be having words about your behavior later," Sebastian said, low and angry as Blaine seemed to shrink in front of him at the hint of punishment.

"Sorry, Master," Blaine all-but whispered in response.

"No. Absolutely not!" Kurt interrupted, voice high and angry. Moving quickly, Kurt positioned himself next to Blaine, one hand resting possessively on the submissive's shoulder. "If you want to go back to the castle Sebastian, by all means go ahead. But Blaine is staying here with me."

Sebastian was too angry to even speak, much less form any sort of coherent argument. With one last furious glance between Kurt and Blaine, he gave a growl of frustration, so laced with anger that it had Blaine taking a step backward, before spinning on his heel and storming back along the long, winding path back towards the castle.

* * *

Not thirty minutes later, Kurt pushed open the door to his bedchambers and allowed Blaine to slip silently into the room in front of him, before closing the door behind them with a soft sigh.

Blaine had barely spoken more than a few select words since that awful confrontation down in the village, and then only ever in response to a direct question from Kurt. Try as he might, Kurt hadn't been able to draw out the bubbly personality that had been in such vivid presence earlier, and eventually they had called it quits and returned somewhat dejectedly to the castle.

Walking over to the armchair in the corner, Kurt slipped down into its soft, cushiony embrace with a sigh, suddenly exhausted from the day's activities. He motioned toward the chair next to him - the two seats slightly angled so that they were facing one another. "Would you like to sit, Blaine?"

Blaine looked up from where he had been standing by the doorway, hands clasped behind his back and head bowed. He have a small cough before replying. "Actually, Sir, would it be okay if i knelt?"

Kurt gave a small start. Of course, _of course_ Blaine would want to kneel; he was clearly upset, his entire being had been screaming of submissiveness for the past half hour. "Yes, of course. Would you like a cushion?" He asked.

Blaine shook his head. "I think I need the stone, Sir." Without saying anything further he walked over and sank to his knees on the cool stone next to Kurt's chair, a small sigh of relief escaping him as his knees hit the hard floor with a thump.

For a long while they simply sat in silence, Kurt's hands carding through Blaine's hair as Blaine leant into the warmth of Kurt's leg. And in the silence, Kurt's brain had the opportunity to play back his argument with Sebastian in great and vivid detail, his temper rising higher and higher with each replay.

"You don't have to stay with him, sweetheart," he eventually said, unable to keep his feelings inside any longer. Blaine turned his head to look at Kurt, eyes curious. "Sebastian." Kurt clarified, although he was sure he didn't need to. "Claims can be dissolved, you know that right? It wouldn't affect our claim, or even Sebastian's position in court if that's what you're worried about. You don't have to put up with how he treats you."

"Sebastian's a good Dominant." Blaine replied simply, expression open. Kurt started at the response; it was just so unexpected. He scanned Blaine's face to see whether it was fear talking, but for the first time since the village Blaine seemed to be speaking with absolute conviction.

"Sweetheart," Kurt tried again, wondering how he could get through to Blaine. "It's not right…" But Blaine was shaking his head, and Kurt was so surprised by the idea of Blaine - submissive, submissive Blaine - actually disagreeing with him, that his mouth slammed shut.

"He's never broken my limits, not once. Yes, he pushes me. He pushes me hard, but never so much that I can't handle it. I _need _to be pushed, to be the best that I can be, and he knows that. He knows me, better than I know myself sometimes."

"But Blaine," Kurt persisted, "You're perfect. Completely and utterly. You deserve a Dominant who shows you just how perfect you are."

Blaine gave a small shrug. "And sometimes that's nice, but sometimes it's not enough. Sometimes you need the chance to earn it." He paused, and looked up at Kurt, expression earnest. "I know he hasn't been a great Dom recently, but he can be, I know he can. It's been hard on him, this new set up." A small pause, and then much, much quieter. "It's been hard on all of us."

And there it was, smacking Kurt right across the face. He had been so worried about Blaine, so determined to keep him safe, that he had completely neglected to consider how Blaine must actually be feeling - a submissive of two masters, never knowing who to defer to. It must be absolute torture.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment the door burst open, and there in the doorway stood the subject of their conversation; eyes wild and determinedly ignoring the harried protestations of the doorman.

"We need to talk," Sebastian said abruptly, without any precursor.

"Yes, yes we do," Kurt agreed, as Blaine started to rise to his feet. "Blaine, you don't have to go," he began, but for the second time that evening Blaine was shaking his head at him, this time with a small, fond smile.

"This is something you need to work out Dominant to Dominant, Sir." Blaine turned toward Sebastian and nodded his head in deference. "Master," he said simply, before ducking out of the door and leaving just Kurt and Sebastian in the room, the air between them cracking ominously.

For a long while the two boys simply stared at one another from across the room. Sebastian's expression was positively murderous, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he breathed heavily.

Eventually Kurt tried to break the horrible tension. "Would you like to sit-"

"You can't override me like that in front of Blaine, it's just not right!" Sebastian interrupted harshly, his voice edged with frantic urgency. "I've been Blaine's master for three years now, three years! I'm sorry, your Royal Highness, but prince or no prince, you can't just come in and destroy three years of a bond with a wink and a pretty smile. I deserve better than that, _Blaine _deserves better than that." He trailed off into silence, panting heavily, and Kurt had the feeling Sebastian had been practicing his speech on the way over.

He waited a long pause before replying. "Well at least you think I have a nice smile, that's something I suppose. Are you quite finished?"

Sebastian opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if searching for more bitter words to throw at Kurt. Kurt took the silence as opportunity to motion toward the couch opposite him. "Please, come sit Sebastian. Let's at least try and discuss this like adults."

Sebastian looked like he might balk, but eventually acquiesced with a small huff. He stalked across the room and slumped into the sofa with an undignified thump, cocking an eyebrow at Kurt challengingly. It was a long time since anybody had treated Kurt with such open disrespect. Kurt wasn't sure how he felt about it. Yes, he usually tried to encourage a casual familiarity amongst his peers, but this was bordering on contempt.

Giving a small sigh, Kurt kneaded at his temple with his index and middle finger as he tried to work out how best to proceed with the conversation. "Why is it that you're so angry Sebastian?"

Sebastian spluttered incredulously. "Do you even have to ask that? Blaine is is my submissive and you're taking him away from me!"

"But you knew that was part of the agreement when you entered into this relationship. You must have known the difference between advisor and consort before applying... didn't you?" Kurt waited for Sebastian to give a reluctant nod before continuing. "So it can't be that, or at least not solely that, that's gotten you so riled up. Do you think I'm a bad Dominant, is that it?"

"You're soft on Blaine. It's not good for him," Sebastian replied vehemently, and Kurt could tell that he genuinely believed every word he was saying. "It's not good for any submissive, they need rules, and discipline, and _control_..."

"You might not agree with my methods, Sebastian, but I certainly don't agree with yours either." Kurt cut in before Sebastian could really get going. "There also has to be reassurance, and comfort. You have to be able to make them feel safe, protected, and right now you're doing anything but that. Blaine was so stressed after the village today that he had to ask to kneel-"

"Wait," Sebastian interrupted, eyes glittering dangerously. "He had to _ask _to kneel? You didn't see that that was what he needed?"

"Of course I saw that he was upset, that _you _had upset him, but there's more than one way to comfort a distressed submissive-" Kurt began, but Sebastian was having none of it.

"See, you don't know Blaine like I do, you don't know what he _needs _like I do. Maybe if you'd been focusing more on the submissive in front of you as opposed to all your high and mighty ideals about the "right" way to Dominate," Sebastian punctuated his angry words with a sarcastic laugh, "then maybe you would have seen that the only way to comfort a distressed _Blaine _is to get him to kneel. This is what I mean, you can't look after Blaine like I-"

"Okay enough, Sebastian." Kurt practically seethed, his emotions riding high on his cheeks as he glared at the other boy. "Like it or not, you offered yourself to me as well as Blaine when you became my consort, which means I get to decide what you do and do-not do." Sebastian opened his mouth to argue, a look of sheer panic in his expression, but Kurt continued onward quickly before he could interrupt again. "Now, I won't force you to do anything you are truly uncomfortable with, I promise you that, but while Blaine is my responsibility, I do get to decide how he is Dominated, and by whom, and that is not up for discussion."

"You...you can't do that to me. You can't do that to _Blaine_, he needs what I can give him." Sebastian argued again, looking genuinely distraught at the suggestion.

"While I highly doubt that claim, I will admit that Blaine was your avid defender earlier. Now maybe Blaine sees something in you that I just can't, but I will take his wants into consideration, like a _good _Dominant. Sebastian look at me," Kurt paused for a second, waiting until he had Sebastian's undivided attention. "I care very deeply for Blaine. If you believe nothing else I've said this evening at least believe that. Everything I do here is for Blaine. His well-being is my number one priority." He waited for Sebastian to grudgingly nod his acceptance before continuing.

"I don't want to keep you away from him, I really don't, but we need consistency going forward, for all our sakes. This constant arguing between the two of us is only hurting Blaine, and I don't think either of us wants that." Kurt paused, and then continued with a slightly softer tone. "Work with me here, okay? Show me that you're the Dominant that Blaine claims you can be, because right now, I'm afraid just don't see it."

Sebastian held Kurt's gaze for a long, long while, and the anguish behind his eyes almost made Kurt crack. There was something about Sebastian's demeanour, the way his emotions seemed too great for his body, like they were threatening to shake right out of his skin and tear him apart in the process, that reminded Kurt of... well, of a submissive in crisis. It was messing with Kurt's Dominant urges in all the wrong ways given the fierce battle of wills they were currently engaged in, and he forced himself to bury the revelation, catalogue it in the back of his brain to process at a later, less stressful date. Right now, he needed to focus on Blaine, and what was best for him. He forced himself to keep it together, breathing deeply as he maintained his cool exterior in the face of so much hurt. It was better this way, it really was. Blaine would know exactly who to submit to, and Sebastian would have the chance to prove that he could be a better Dominant. Sometimes a bit of pain was worth the reward, wasn't that what this was all about anyway?


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt had had worse weeks than this in his lifetime. Objectively, he knew that he had. He _must _have done. The problem was, when faced with the monstrosity that this particular week was turning out to be, those weeks were getting increasingly hard to recall.

If Kurt had thought that his confrontation with Sebastian at the end of the previous week would pave the way for a healthier, more open relationship between the two of them, he had been sadly, horribly mistaken. For the past five days Sebastian had alternated between two very distinct moods; dead-eyed and disinterested or sullen and moody. Kurt couldn't work out what he hated more, the way that Sebastian was polite to the point of caricature to Kurt's face while lashing out with the most vicious of insults at anyone within range as soon as he thought Kurt's back was turned - staff, other nobility, even Blaine, nobody was safe from Sebastian's razor-barbed tongue - or the fact that underneath it all, underneath that brutish exterior, Kurt could see just how miserable Sebastian really was. When those flashes of vulnerability broke through Sebastian's tough outer shell, Kurt couldn't help thinking that maybe he had been too strict on him, maybe he was making things worse than they needed to be.

But then of course there was Blaine. Sweet, optimistic Blaine. Blaine trying so very hard to compensate for Sebastian's embittered attitude, to put on a brave face and make everything seem just that little bit less awkward between the three of them. He was a constant ball of over-enthusiastic energy, right up until Sebastian ignored him, or rejected him, and then Kurt would see the smile falter, the muscles in his shoulders tense. Only for an instant, and then he would be right back to his usual bubbly self, but it was impossible to miss, and it pained Kurt to see every time. And just like that his resolve would flip right back over again. Sebastian couldn't be Blaine's Dominant while he had the capability to hurt him like that, he just couldn't.

It was exhausting, the constant back-and-forth, and every time it happened his grasp on the situation weakened, until it felt like he was trying to cup water in his hands.

That morning he had finally cracked, decided that he needed time on his own to clear his head, get himself back on solid ground. He had sent Blaine down to the village to take Rufus up on his offer of lunch, and had found some 'official business' that Sebastian could take care of, and then he had settled in his reading room, all set to hash out this situation in his brain until he felt like he might actually have a handle on things once again.

Of course, because apparently this week was the gift that kept on giving, Lady Rachel Berry had chosen that exact morning to invade, with a box of rummikub tokens and a distraught cry of how if had been far too long since she had last seen him, and they simply had to catch up _right this very second_. Kurt had tried to deter her, he really had. Then again, he'd never been much good at saying no to Rachel, even when he wasn't an emotional wreck.

And so the morning had progressed at a snail's pace, with Rachel regaling Kurt with tales of the minutiae, and Kurt desperately trying not to crack under the absurdity of it all. They had just finished their third game of rummikub, and Kurt was seriously considering faking illness to get Rachel to go away, when the conversation suddenly took a turn for the interesting.

"You know, if it were me, I'd have had that Sebastian over my knee in under a day. A good spanking would sort him right out." Rachel said casually as she scooped her winning chips from the center of the table into her - sadly much higher than Kurt's - pile.

Kurt's head whipped up from where he had been toying with the tokens in front of him, thoroughly taken aback by Rachel's unprovoked, and surprisingly lewd, comment. "...Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Kurt, I know you better than that." Rachel said. "You've been away with the fairies all day today, and the talk all about the castle is of how guardian and consort aren't getting along as well as they might. Now you know me, I'm usually above such awful gossip mongering-" she paused to raise a stern eyebrow at Kurt when he couldn't help snorting at that statement, "-but it clearly doesn't take as good a friend as I am to work out what's wrong."

Kurt paused for a long moment, struggling to process what Rachel had just told him. Gossip about the castle? He knew that it had been a bad idea to ask the servants to set up separate bedchambers for Sebastian and Blaine, or maybe it was the serving staff who were present at every single one of their horribly awkward evening meals together. Honestly, it could have been any number of things; they hadn't exactly been subtle with their drama, and court gossip had hinged on far less in the past.

Kurt forced himself to laugh, hoping Rachel wouldn't hear the strain in his voice. "I like to think I have a little more tact than that, Rachel. Besides, can you honestly see Sebastian reacting at all well to that?"

Rachel gave an exaggerated sigh, "I suppose. Still, a girl can dream, I guess."

Kurt silently thanked whatever deity might be listening that apparently today he was interacting with a Rachel that would accept his clear diversionary tactics, and barreled onward before she could change her mind and go back to asking uncomfortable questions about his relationship with Sebastian and Blaine. "I'm going to tell Finn you've been lusting after my consort's naked derriere," he teased with an eyebrow waggle, and was rewarded by an exaggerated gasp and a slap to the knee.

"Kurt Hummel, you wouldn't dare!" Rachel exclaimed in mock outrage, before a wicked grin crossed her face. "Besides, Finn has nothing to worry about-"

"And that's quite enough on that subject, thank you." Kurt interrupted loudly. "We have a deal about this Rachel, remember? No discussions of _that _nature when they involve my brother."

Rachel gave another exaggerated sigh. "Fine, _fine_. Well, it's your loss."

Kurt gave another laugh; this one sounding far more genuine, even to him. "Somehow I very much doubt that."

Rachel gave another one of her wicked grins before standing up. "Speaking of which, I must be off I'm afraid. Finn and I are due to visit my fathers for lunch." She leaned over to kiss Kurt's cheek, then dipped a quick curtsey - the only time Kurt's station ever played a part in their interactions anymore - before swishing out of the room with an attitude that simply demanded the attention of anyone nearby.

For a few minutes Kurt simply sat, thinking about the conversation he and Rachel had just had. Or rather, the conversation they hadn't had. Not once, in all the time he had spent worrying about his relationship with Sebastian, had he considered how their animosity might be affecting the realm, how it might actually be hurting Aldern. For the first time he was truly ashamed of himself. No matter what, the realm came first. The realm always came first; he had learned that rule before he could walk.

With a determined growl Kurt jumped to his feet and grabbed his coat from the hook in the corner. He had spent far too long this week feeling sorry for himself. It was time to work out a strategy, a plan of attack. It was time to get this sorted, once and for all.

* * *

The royal garden was one of Kurt's favorite places in the whole castle. His mother had always brought him here when we was younger, and together they would spend hours playing together. There was a huge memorial to the Queen in the royal cemetery, of course, but when Kurt wanted to feel close to his mother, this was where he came.

He walked aimlessly for a short while, hands down by his side as his fingers trailed through the high-stalked flowers on either side of the path. His mind was whirring at a hundred miles an hour, but he was still no closer to working out how to resolve the horrible situation he seemed to have found himself in. _Sebastian is miserable because I won't let him Dominate Blaine...So I should let Sebastian Dominate him again... But Sebastian's views on Domination are causing Blaine harm…and if I let Sebastian hurt Blaine then I've failed as a Dominant. Blaine is miserable because we're fighting…so I should let Sebastian Dominate him again... But Sebastian's views on Domination are causing Blaine harm….and if I let Sebastian hurt Blaine then I've failed as a Dominant. _Round and round his thoughts went, coiling tighter than a spring. Eventually he collapsed against the hedge on his left with a huff. This was ridiculous; he was so far from getting anywhere he was pretty sure he was going backwards.

When he first heard the familiar, gruff voice floating from over the other side of the hedge, he almost thought he was imagining things; trust him to conjure up his father's voice in the midst of a bout of emotional turmoil just so he had something reassuring to cling onto. But then the higher voice of Marcus - his father's political consort - joined the fray, and Kurt realized with a small laugh that their corporeal forms must actually be on the other side of the bush, probably teetering precariously on two of the delicate filigree garden chairs that had been so much more of an aesthetic choice than a practical one.

As the pair of voices continued to float over the fauna, Kurt snuck closer. He'd spent his whole life watching his father work, admiring the way that he was always fair, always just. King Burt never backed down from what he believed was right, and Kurt had always looked up to him as a role-model - the kind of guardian he himself aspired to be one day. But now, as he sidled along the hedgerow, he found himself concentrating more on _how_ Burt was speaking. The strong but calm tone of his voice that commanded without accusing; completely in control. Kurt had no idea how he managed it.

The conversation appeared to be coming to a close, and as Kurt listened to their parting words he prepared to scramble if they started heading his way. Thankfully, though, the single set of footsteps - light, hasty, certainly belonging to Marcus rather than his father - seemed to be receding in the opposite direction.

"If you're quite done skulking over there," Burts voice floated over the hedge, making Kurt jump about a foot in the air. "How about you come join your old man?"

For a brief, fleeting moment Kurt considered feigning ignorance - caught eavesdropping by his father at twenty-one, how mortifying - but he knew that would only make things worse. With a small sigh he straightened up and rounded the corner to join the King.

"How did you know I was there?" he muttered almost petulantly as he settled into one of the iron chairs across the table from his father.

Burt gave a short, gruff laugh, fixing Kurt with a look that said _seriously?_ "You do realize it's not exactly dignified for the Prince of Aldern to be caught spying? Honestly Kurt, you've got a whole arsenal of magic at your fingertips, you could at least try and use it to be a bit more subtle," he said instead of answering Kurt's question.

"Sorry Dad," Kurt said, eyes down and fiddling with his cuff as he spoke.

"Alright, let's have it."

Kurt looked up in surprise, head cocked in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, and Burt gave him _that_ look again in response.

"Let's hear what's got you all worked up, don't think I can't tell when something's eating at my own son."

For the second time Kurt considered leading with denial, and for the second time he realized just as quickly how fruitless that tactic would be. With a sigh he scrubbed at his eyes as he tried to work out exactly how to phrase what was on his mind.

"It's just... Is it always this hard?" he finally asked, wincing at the vagueness of his sentence. Burt simply smiled knowingly and clapped a hand on his son's shoulder, dipping his head and looking Kurt straight in the eye as he spoke.

"Finding your new role isn't all it's cracked up to be?" he asked fondly.

"It's alright for you, you have the world's most amazing consort to help," Kurt said, hands flailing in front of him in exasperation. "What do I get? Some jumped up, self important asshole whose ideals apparently stopped developing about a century ago!"

Burt let Kurt rant, a small smile crinkling his eyes. "So you and Sebastian aren't seeing eye to eye quite yet I take it?"

"It would be okay if it were just his politics, most of them I actually agree with," Kurt admitted. "But the way he treats Blaine, Dad, it's just not right! And it makes me so angry every time I see how he acts towards his sub, I just can't get past that and focus on anything else about him."

There was a long pause while Kurt breathed angrily, fighting to get his emotions back under control. He hated getting worked up like this in front of his dad, but somehow when it came to Sebastian all bets were off the table. It was yet another thing that he absolutely hated about this whole situation; how Sebastian managed to get under his skin in a way nobody else had been able to do in such a very long time.

"Marcus comes from a pretty traditional household, did I ever tell you?" Burt said calmly, fingers squeezing reassuringly into Kurt's shoulder as he spoke. "Don't know what it is about those sorts of families, but political advisor seems to be as common a career path as it comes."

When Kurt looked up in confusion Burt clarified. "I guess it's not too surprising, what better way to improve that all-important social standing they seem so fond of? Anyway, we had the most horrendous first few months, it was like we couldn't agree on anything simply out of principal. The first time I heard him say that submissives should be seen and not heard I remember storming out of the room, right on over to your ma in her reading room and telling her in no uncertain terms that I'd made a horrible mistake, and that I'd never be able to rule with that idiot next to me."

"Sounds familiar," Kurt replied with a wry smile. "But the Marcus I know is amazing with subs, what changed?"

"I did," Burt replied simply. "Or rather, your ma helped me to. She sat me down one evening, when I was so mad I could barely see straight, and she asked me how I would feel if one day someone came along and told me that everything I knew about magic was a lie. What if somebody - somebody I barely knew, mind - told me that I was being authoritarian and cruel by keeping the power of magic to myself, and that actually everybody should be able to use magic as they saw fit?"

Kurt gave an incredulous laugh, "But that's ridiculous, think of how much damage people could do with that sort of power if they didn't know how to wield it properly?"

"But Kurt, that's exactly how Sebastian thinks of Domination, don't you see? He doesn't see his approach as wrong, he sees it as necessary. He's been taught for as long as he can remember that submissives _need _Dominants to control them, to keep them safe. And I'm not saying that his view is right, far from it, but if he hasn't ever been taught otherwise then how is he supposed to know that there's another way of doing things?"

Kurt opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Try as he might he couldn't find the words to contest what his dad was saying. When put in such stark settings it was so very obvious why Sebastian had the views that he did, and why he reacted so badly when confronted by Kurt and his morally-indignant anger.

"You have to _show _Sebastian that there's another way, not just shout at him that everything he's ever known is wrong." Burt said with another fond shoulder squeeze.

"I'll...I'll try," Kurt admitted reluctantly, toying with his cuffs as he spoke.

"That's all you can do." Burt said with an approving nod.

* * *

Kurt returned from his talk with his father with a newfound determination. He was Kurt Hummel, and he wasn't about to let something as silly as a couple of teething problems get in the way of him being the guardian that Aldern needed. The time for pouting and self-pity was over. Now was time for action.

The first action Kurt took after arriving back at the castle was to request that the serving staff bring their evening meal to Sebastian's living quarters. He then left a message in Blaine's quarters - and his own in case Blaine went there first - asking that the sub join them in Sebastian's rooms whenever he was ready. He figured he had enough time for a quick bathe before either boy returned that evening - feeling fresh and put-together was half the mental battle after all - and then he grabbed his book and made his way down the hallway to Sebastian's rooms to wait for the other two boys.

Blaine arrived back first, full of excited tales of Rufus and his family, and little Maryanna who apparently had taken quite a shine to Blaine. Kurt could understand why; Blaine's enthusiasm was truly infectious. Blaine knelt happily on the plush cushion Kurt had purposefully put right in the middle of the two high-backed armchairs in the corner, and told Kurt in great and animated detail all about his afternoon. Kurt let the warmth of Blaine's words simply wash over him, let himself indulge in the comfort of the situation while he could.

Sebastian arrived about twenty minutes after Blaine, pulling up short when he pushed open the door and saw Kurt and Blaine already seated in his room. For a second he looked like he might comment on it, but Kurt could tell from the fire in his eyes that he was riding too high on the spoils of his day to really bother questioning the scene in front of him. Instead he strode over to the big armchair next to Kurt and Blaine, sinking down into its folds as he launched straight into his account of 'doing battle' with the criminal grain trader they had caught selling his wares at vastly over-inflated prices to the locals.

Kurt wasn't sure how it was possible, but Sebastian seemed to grow even more animated as his story progressed, and Kurt mentally congratulated himself on relocating to Sebastian's rooms for the evening. Even if he had only been in residence at the castle a little over a week these were undeniably now Sebastian's rooms, not Kurt's, and he had a feeling that made a surprising amount of difference to other man's psyche.

As Sebastian explained exactly how he and the castle guards had stalked this farmhand all around the village until they could indoubtedly prove his nefarious antics, Kurt couldn't help thinking that it was nice to see proof of just how much pride Sebastian clearly took in his role. Nicer still was the idea of the three of them sharing stories at the end of a long day apart, and Kurt wasn't above hoping that this might be a tradition between them that actually stuck.

"Rufus was telling me of a trader from Korus who comes to market the second Friday of every month," Blaine said as Sebastian's story wound to a close. "He wasn't too favourable in his description of him, I have to say. Apparently he intimidates the locals into trading at unfair prices."

Kurt frowned. "Why hasn't anybody told the royal guard? That sort of behavior shouldn't be tolerated in our markets."

Blaine shrugged. "I don't think any of the villagers want to risk it, especially not the ones with families. You know the rumours about Korus…"

"How I wish they were only rumours," Sebastian said with a sigh. "I'll tell the guards to keep a closer eye on the next market." As he spoke his hand came down to stroke through Blaine's hair, tactile praise to go along with his words, and Blaine happily nuzzled into the touch.

"You did very well for catching that, Blaine," Kurt said warmly. "I know its hard for the locals to trust nobility sometimes. It scares me how much we might let slide in the villages simply because we don't know about it."

"Everyone knows how much you care for people of Aldern," Blaine replied, voice warm and content as he pressed himself close up against Sebastian's leg. "It's obvious from the way they talk about you down in the village."

Kurt smiled, "Thank you, Blaine."

"Any time, Sir," came the happy response.

* * *

All too soon it seemed, Kurt had to start getting ready for the small council meeting that evening.

"You're joking, right?" Sebastian exclaimed as Kurt called for a page to bring a selection of formal tunics from his room to Sebastian's. "There's still over an hour until we're needed."

"Perfection takes time, Sebastian," Kurt responded haughtily as he waited for the boy to return. "It wouldn't go amiss for you to take some pride in _your _appearance every once in a while you know?"

Sebastian shrugged, flicking a speck of lint off his sleeve as he spoke "I've never had any complaints before,"

"Well you've clearly not spent enough time around people with any semblance of taste - Blaine's company notwithstanding of course." Kurt snarked back, throwing a wry smile at Blaine as he did so. Blaine snorted softly into his hand in response as Sebastian drew up in mock affront.

"I'll have you know-" Sebastian began, but Kurt waved him off with a small laugh as the young page hurried back into the room with his arms piled high with garments.

"Oh relax Sebastian. It's okay, we'll make sure you scrub up nicely eventually."

Picking out a dark purple tunic with particularly intricate stitch-work around the collar and cuffs, Kurt turned towards Blaine. "Would you help me into my garments, Blaine?"

The playful smile dancing across Blaine's features was instantly replaced by an intense look of pride, and Blaine gracefully rose to standing from where he had been keeling, and made his way over to Kurt with his head slightly bowed.

"It would be my honour, Sir," he replied, his voice warm and heady.

For a while there was quiet in the room as Blaine eased the light material of Kurt's day tunic up and over his head, placing the garment neatly on the table next to them before starting work on unlacing the collar of Kurt's undershirt. As Kurt shrugged out of the starch white linen, shivering slightly as the cool evening air brushed up and over his bare torso, he heard a slight hitch of breath from behind them. Turning towards the noise he noticed that Sebastian's gaze was determinedly fixed on the pair, his eyes tracking Blaine's every movement as the submissive served his Dominant. Kurt couldn't help the satisfied smile that crept across his features in response. Sebastian certainly seemed to appreciate the scene in front of him, and Kurt wasn't above enjoying the idea that his naked body was at least part of the reason behind the other Dominant's reaction.

Blaine, however, seemed completely oblivious to Sebastian's determined stare, or at least was completely unfazed by it as he helped Kurt into his evening tunic, ducking under each arm to fasten the tiny buttons that led up each side. "Will you be discussing the treaty with Korus at the small council meeting?" He eventually ventured as he knelt to straighten Kurt's hose against his thighs.

"Is there anything better, a sub talking politics on his knees." Sebastian said from where he was still seated, voice slightly strained as his gaze flicked over to briefly grin at Kurt before returning to the documents in front of him. Kurt pointedly ignored the lewd comment - even if he did agree with the sentiment there was a time and a place for such things - and smiled down at Blaine. "Yes, it's high on the agenda for this meeting after those bandit skirmishes reported last week, and now with this new information about traders bullying their way into our markets-"

"The village is getting nervous, Sir. I could see it everywhere when I visited earlier. I just wish there was something I could do to help." Blaine muttered sadly as he lifted Kurt's left foot into his boot and made a start on the laces.

"You do plenty Blaine. Just look at today, we wouldn't have even known about half the things going on down in the village without you." Kurt reassured the worried sub, laying a comforting hand on Blaine's shoulder as he spoke. He paused for a second, considering. "Would you like to join us at the small council meeting?" he asked.

"Blaine's not a member of the council. Only members of the council are allowed at the meeting." Sebastian said, voice condescending, as if he genuinely thought Kurt had forgotten that fact. Kurt couldn't help throwing a scowl over at the consort. And they had been doing so well today as well.

"I am well aware of that, thank you Sebastian. I don't know if you've forgotten, but I do happen to be this little thing called guardian of the realm, I can pull rank if I need to." Turning back towards Blaine he asked again, "Would you like to be on the small council Blaine? Because I can make it happen if you do."

They were interrupted again by an audible laugh from Sebastian, "A submissive on the small council, oh yes I can definitely see that."

Kurt whipped around to glare at Sebastian, ignoring the small yelp that came from Blaine as the laces of Kurt's boot were tugged straight out of his hand. "Seriously Sebastian, are you going to contest me about this _again_? How many times are we going to have to go over this?"

"Sir, please." Blaine interjected, voice urgent as he quickly stood up and moved around to put himself in Kurt's line of sight, exactly halfway between the two Dominants. "I'm honoured that you would consider me, truly I am, but I don't need a position on the small council. Honestly, I don't think I'd even be much good going up against a group of angry Dominants in a room where I can't even see the people we're supposed to be helping."

"Oh sweetheart, you can't put yourself down like that." Kurt tried to reassure Blaine, but Sebastian cut right in over him.

"See," Sebastian said, voice triumphant as he stood up to make his point. "I told you Blaine wasn't interested in politics, I _told _you-"

"That-" Kurt leaned round Blaine to glare venomously at the other Dominant, "is not the point Sebastian. The point is-"

"Neither point is the point!" Blaine interrupted again, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. The gesture was so sudden and unexpected that silence finally descended upon the room. Blaine looked slightly embarrassed at his outburst, the color immediately flushing high in his cheeks, but he determinedly held both Dominants' gazes as he turned to look first at Kurt, then at Sebastian.

"I'm not putting myself down by saying I wouldn't be good on the small council, I'm being realistic about what my skills are, and how I can best put what I know I _am _good at to good use. And that _doesn't _meant I'm not interested in politics-" Blaine paused to address Sebastian as he spoke, who was looking completely and utterly perplexed at this new Blaine in front of them. Blaine, who was starting to shiver with the effort it was clearly taking to face down both of his Dom's like this, but face them down he did, shoulders squared and head held high, completely and unashamedly unapologetic. "It simply means that my interests lie outside the scope of your interests, Master, and that's not a bad thing. I was actually going to suggest instead that I start going into the village more often, maybe try and organize a people's committee to deal with some of the smaller, more personal issues that arise down there."

"Well I for one think that's a great idea, Blaine." Kurt tried to sound reassuring, but Blaine was shaking his head again, clearly not finished.

"I thought you would, Sir, but you never gave me a chance to tell you about it. Don't you both see, half of these arguments could be so easily avoided if we all just took a step back and actually _listened _to one another, but instead you'd both rather get into this great big tug of war over who knows better what I want. Well what about me? Don't I get a say?" Blaine paused once more, breathing heavily as he prepared to deliver the final blow in his devastating argument.

"I care very much for both of you, please believe me when I say that, and I know you both mean well. But I can't go on simply being the prize in this...this Dominant pissing contest of yours, I just can't."

The silence in the room was deafening. For the longest of moments all Kurt could do was simply stand there, mind desperately struggling to process everything that had just been said. All he had wanted to do was protect Blaine, keep him safe from destructive influences, how had he - how had they _both _- managed to get to this stage where they were doing so much more harm than good. How on earth had he managed to fail this beautiful, strong boy in front of him so very badly?

And then his brain caught up with the room, and he truly saw what was going on in front of him. There Blaine was, his perfect sub, shaking from head to toe with stress, hands clenching and unclenching by his side as he desperately kept on holding firm. How much strength had it taken him to stand up to both of his Doms like that? To finally put his foot down and admit that both Kurt _and _Sebastian had been failing him. It was time for him to step up, time for him to be the Dominant that Blaine deserved.

"Kneel for me, sweetheart." The Dominance in his voice reverberated about the room, and with a muffled whimper of relief Blaine practically collapsed to the floor, folding his limbs underneath himself and clasping his hands behind his back as he relinquished the oh-so-tight hold he had on his emotions; surrendering completely to the sweet familiarity of submission.

Slowly, purposely, Kurt walked over so that he was standing next to Blaine. His hand dropped down to card through the submissive's hair, and Blaine practically whined as he leant into his Dominant's touch.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I know I shouldn't have spoken to you like that-" Blaine said, but Kurt cut him off with a soft shush and a tightening of his fingers entwined in the soft hair near his scalp.

"You have nothing to apologise for, darling, nothing at all. I'm so proud of you. You're so very good, telling Sebastian and me what you need like that. Everything's going to be better now, my good, sweet boy, I promise."

As Kurt offered up a constant stream of soft endearments, Blaine started to relax next to him. The tension in his shoulders slowly started to unwind, the lines of worry drawn across his face started to smooth. Eventually, when Kurt could bear to look away from his submissive for more than a fleeting second, he turned back to Sebastian.

Sebastian was watching the scene in front of him with a very odd look on his face. His expression was twisted into something strikingly similar to pain, but it had an edge of yearning to it. It was an emotion Kurt couldn't quite place - did Sebastian resent the comfort Kurt was giving Blaine, did he wish it was him standing next to his submissive? Or did he wish that he was the one at Kurt's feet, receiving the warm reassurances that everything was going to be okay? Kurt shook his head firmly to dislodge that last idea. Now was certainly not the time to be entertaining that particular train of thought. Instead he held out his spare hand to Sebastian, who simply looked at the extended appendage in confusion.

"I'm sorry for my outburst Sebastian. Can we put this behind us?" Kurt offered as he leant closer towards Sebastian, hand still outstretched.

Sebastian paused for another long moment, his expression still contorted like he had temporarily forgotten how to breathe. Then, tentatively, he reached over and quickly shook Kurt's hand. It was the briefest of contacts, but the warm press of flesh against flesh sent shivers running all through Kurt's body, and he realized with a start that they hadn't so much as touched since that disastrous dance at the claiming ceremony the previous week.

"Forgive me, Your Royal Highness, I was out of line." Sebastian said rigidly, and Kurt smiled reassuringly at the other Dominant. He opened his mouth to respond, but then Sebastian flicked his eyes to the floor for the briefest of instants, and all the air was knocked out of Kurt at the obviously submissive gesture. Then Sebastian's gaze flicked up and across to Blaine, and he very deliberately took a step closer to the submissive keeling on the floor. As his hand came down to slowly stroke along Blaine's free shoulder, he raised a cocky eyebrow at Kurt, who mentally chided himself for yet again jumping to conclusions.

"Thats-", Kurt's voice came out rough and scratchy, and he pointedly ignored the small smirk that spread across Sebastian's features as a result. "-Thats okay, Sebastian. We've both been found wanting in our actions recently, but not any more. It's time for us to both be better."

"Yes, Sire," was Sebastian's simple response, with an inflection that sent Kurt's mind whirling all over the place, all over again.

Before Kurt had the chance to say anything further - which was probably just as well all things considered - Sebastian turned to address Blaine, who was still pressed tightly against Kurt's side.

"Dominant pissing contest huh?" he said wryly, grinning when Blaine turned a bright shade of red and ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry Master, you were acting green," Blaine muttered quietly to the floor.

"Green?" Kurt couldn't help asking curiously. Sebastian gave another one of his sardonic grins as he turned back to face the Prince.

"It's a codeword we sometimes use, I guess a kind of safeword. Green for poisonous; Blaine can use it to tell me when my behaviour is out of line without making it a whole big deal that he's calling out his Dom. I can sometimes get away from myself, in case you hadn't noticed."

"But- but you didn't mention any special safewords at the contract signing?" Kurt argued, his brain somehow stuck on this new revelation.

Sebastian shrugged. "Yes, because I'm seriously going to admit to the Prince of Aldern that I sometimes need my sub to keep me in check. Besides, it's not really _that _type of safeword is it?"

And there is was, the synergy between Sebastian and Blaine that Kurt just hadn't been able to see before. It wasn't a case of Sebastian seeing Blaine as less than an equal, it was simply that the entire foundation of their relationship was built on a very specific hierarchy of power. A hierarchy, he finally understood, that clearly went both ways. Kurt had a strong suspicion that Blaine was the only person in the whole of Aldern who could call Sebastian out on his antics, and have Sebastian actually listen to them. Well, wasn't that fascinating.

"Could we-" Kurt paused as he considered how to phrase his next question. "How would you both feel about including Green in our list of safewords? For both me and Sebastian, in both directions, obviously"

"Hmmm I don't know, you have to earn the right to green." Sebastian said, grinning when he saw the affronted look on Kurt's face. "But…" Sebastian paused to raise an eyebrow questioningly at Blaine, who nodded eagerly in response. "I think we'd both like to work towards it, Sire."


	7. Chapter 7

Kurt laid his quill down on the desk in front of him and flexed his fingers with a small wince. He had been signing documents for well over three hours now, with the thick royal ink resisting his every move as usual. Stretching his arms out to the side, he rolled his wrists in circles and flexed his shoulders, thoroughly enjoying the soft pop of muscle between his shoulder blades. The large movements drew the attention of Blaine from across the other side of the room, and the submissive looked up curiously from where he was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the carpet organizing strips of taffeta for the castle fete next week.

Kurt grinned. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" he said. When Blaine cocked his head to the side in confusion Kurt picked up his quill and waggled it between his thumb and forefinger in explanation. Holding it point down about half a meter above the sheet of paper in front of him, he paused for a second before letting go, enjoying the gasp of surprise from Blaine as the feather plummeted towards the desk. As soon as it touched the parchment it was off, dancing across its surface as it scrawled Kurt's signature along the bottom edge. Once the paper was signed it swished to the left and joined the pile of completed documents, while the quill got to work on the sheet underneath.

Kurt smiled brightly over at Blaine, who was watching the scene in front of him with his mouth slightly open. "Don't worry, it's perfectly legal," he said, as Blaine drew his eyes away from the magical quill with a small shake of his head.

"That- that wasn't exactly the first thing to cross my mind, Sir." Blaine said with a small smile, and Kurt couldn't help laughing at the look of wonder painted across Blaine's features. Leaving the quill to do its work, Kurt stood up and moved to look out the huge square window in the corner. It really was a lovely morning - air crisp and sharp as it always was at the start of the year.

"Sir?"

Kurt turned back to face the room. "Yes, Blaine?" he said. "Is everything okay?"

The submissive ducked his head shyly. "I was just wondering, I mean to say I was curious... How do you make it do that?" He nodded towards the desk to clarify.

Kurt paused for a second, considering. He'd never really thought about how his powers worked; it had always come so naturally to him it was almost like asking him how he blinked or breathed.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted as he moved to sit down in one of the armchairs near Blaine. "I just tell the world what I want it to do, and it just sort of does it."

"Is there anything you can't make it do?" Blaine asked again, eyes bright and curious.

"I can't create or destroy things, only manipulate." Kurt explained as he waved a hand to make the taffeta dance in a spiral around Blaine as he talked. "First rule of magic; nothing comes from nothing.

Blaine smiled, his expression thoughtful as he brought a hand up to trace through the dancing patterns in front of him. "So does that mean - could you manipulate a human?" he said, eyes on the coloured paper rather than Kurt now.

Kurt frowned, suddenly unsure about where Blaine's line of questioning was going. "That's a very dangerous area, Blaine. If you're asking whether I can make people act against their will-"

"Oh no, Sir, nothing like that!" Blaine interrupted, eyes wide and alarmed as his hands dropped into his lap and he turned to look directly at Kurt again. "I was just- well I guess I was more wondering if you could use magic to, say, restrict a submissive?"

Kurt gave a short, startled laugh - talk about the conversation going in a different direction from what he had expected! "Oh, I see where this is going now," he chided fondly as Blaine smiled a coy smile that wreaked absolute havoc with Kurt's insides. "Yes, that I could do. But honestly, I tend not to."

"Why not, Sir?"

"It can be quite disconcerting for a submissive, to not be able to move their limbs but have nothing tangible to account for it. That's not the sort of mental stress I like to put on my subs," Kurt explained. When Blaine looked absolutely crestfallen at the revelation, he quickly continued. "But there are other things I can do with my powers. For example-" he trailed off as he snapped his fingers, and the fabric of Blaine's shirt quickly started to unravel. Blaine gave a small yelp of surprise as his shirt disintegrated around him, leaving his torso bare and exposed as the thread from the garment tumbled to the floor. It lay inanimate in a heap for only a moment before Kurt flicked his wrist again, and then it jumped back up to dance and weave together to form a long, braided rope.

"Arms behind your back, Blaine," Kurt commanded as he made the rope slide up and over Blaine's chest, curling like a snake across his shoulder and around the back of his neck. Blaine's back immediately straightened in anticipation, and he obediently clasped his hands behind his back as Kurt nodded his approval.

"I have to know how to do something without magic before I can use my powers to do the same." Kurt explained in a low, soothing tone as the rope continued to explore Blaine's body. Blaine's breath hitched as the tail of the braid flicked roughly over his sensitive left nipple. "For most things it's fairly obvious-" he paused as he nodded toward the door and the heavy oak frame swung shut to ensure that they wouldn't be disturbed. "-but other things require a bit more practice."

As if to prove a point, the rope slid down Blaine's back and started to wrap around the submissive's wrists, an ornate figure-of-eight that traced all the way from wrist to elbow and back again. "You have no idea how long I spent practicing all the different types of knots, Blaine. Hours and hours, until I'd mastered even the most complex of designs," Kurt said lowly, lips twitching in appreciation as Blaine whined in response, his hips thrusting forward almost of their own accord.

Standing up from where he was seated, Kurt slowly crossed the room until he was standing in front of Blaine. Slowly he crouched down so that he was just slightly higher than absolute eye level. He gently placed two fingers underneath Blaine's chin and nudged upward so that Blaine had to tilt his head to meet Kurt's gaze. His eyes were already slightly unfocused, his chest rising and falling as he took in deep, heavy breaths of air.

"Color, sweetheart?" Kurt said firmly.

"Brown, Sir," Blaine replied, his voice dry and scratchy as he fixed those beautiful hazel eyes on Kurt. Kurt could feel the heat start to curl in the pit of his stomach as he took in the view. Blaine was so responsive, his whole body humming in anticipation of what Kurt might have in store for him.

"So perfect for me," Kurt said as he stood back up, leaning back to fully appraise the submissive in front of him. "Spread your knees for me, Blaine." Immediately Blaine complied, stretching his legs out to the side so that he was kneeling in a wide V shape and could no longer rest his ass on his heels. It was a tougher position, placing far more strain on the submissive's thighs, but Kurt had no doubt Blaine could handle it.

"Good boy," Kurt said. "Just one more thing-" he clicked his fingers and the seams along the sides of Blaine's hose rapidly unpicked. Blaine tensed at the unexpected action, but Kurt was pleased to see that he didn't try to move as the material crumpled to the floor around him, leaving him completely exposed to the elements.

Blaine's cock stood hard and proud in front of him, a deep red against the soft tan of his skin, and Kurt took another long minute to simply appreciate the submissive in front of him. "So, so perfect," he said again to the room.

Without breaking his gaze he gestured towards the desk, and three of the ornate feather quills he had been using moments earlier jumped up and flew over to hover between them. He plucked one out of the air, and with a flick of his head directed the other two to move to trace up either side of Blaine's torso with their feather point. Blaine gasped at the oh-so-light touch, his cocked flexing in front of him as his eyes slipped shut and he surrendered to the soft caress of the plumes.

"Oh no, Blaine, you know how much I love those gorgeous eyes of yours. I want them on me at all times," Kurt chided as he knelt back down in front of Blaine, reaching out with the quill in his hand to trace a wide, curling pattern down Blaine's torso. Blaine shuddered again at the touch, but obediently flicked his eyes open, thick dark lashes framing his gaze so very beautifully as he looked up at Kurt. As its two magically animated counterparts danced higher, tracing up and over Blaine's shoulders to tickle at his jawline, Kurt worked his feather lower, skimming over Blaine's hips and down the sensitive flesh of his inner thigh all the way to his knees. Blaine whined softly at the soft touch, his legs shuddering with the effort it was clearly taking to maintain his position when faced with this new, overwhelming sensation. But Kurt was relentless.

He spent a good moment lavishing his touch up along Blaine's left thigh, creeping up to quickly flick the feather across Blaine's balls with the lightest of touches before moving back down the right leg. Blaine positively moaned at the sensation, head sagging down and breath stuttering heavily as Kurt repeated the action once, twice, three times. Each time the soft touch of the feature caressed his sac Blaine gasped and shuddered, and all the while the other two feathers explored the rest of his body, leaving no inch of his skin untouched.

"Tell me how it feels, Blaine," Kurt commanded, whispering his feather along Blaine's shaft and over his tip as Blaine keened and thrust his hips up into the gesture.

"I- oh god, it's like you're everywhere, Sir." he moaned, gasping in surprise as one of the magical feathers traced along the crack of his ass at the same time as its companion danced across his nipples. "It's like you have three hands and all of them are touching me at the same time. It's- oh my god-" he broke off panting as the two feathers converged on his dick, falling into a neat line as they followed Kurt's lead.

"Shhh, easy there Blaine, breathe for me." Kurt soothed, his voice gentle as his army of feathers continued in their unrelenting assault of every erogenous zone on Blaine's body. He let go of his own feather, letting it dance off to join its compatriots as he reached up to cup at Blaine's face, leaning forwards to press a hard, claiming kiss to Blaine's mouth. Blaine practically melted into the kiss, his lips supple and pliant as they slipped open, willingly submitting to Kurt's demand for access. Kurt greedily deepened the kiss, inhaling Blaine's stuttered exhales and losing himself in the sensation of Blaine underneath him, palms curling underneath Blaine's jaw as he held the submissive close.

Eventually, against all his better judgement, even Kurt had to surface for air. WIth a soft sigh he drew back, placing one last gentle kiss on the very tip of Blaine's nose as he sat back on his haunches. Blaine looked slightly dazed as he blinked rapidly, eyes fixed on Kurt as if he was the most stunning creature in the world.

"Such a good boy," Kurt muttered fondly, stroking his thumb gently across Blaine's cheek as he spoke. Then he pushed back on his heels, standing up straight and taking a step backwards to put some space between himself and Blaine. He ignored Blaine's soft whine of disappointment at the loss of his Dominant as he slowly, purposefully started to unlace his breeches. His arousal was pressing almost painfully against the fabric, and as soon as the restricting cords were undone his cock sprang free, forcing its way out of its confines through the front opening of the breeches to stand long and proud at Blaine's eye level.

"Okay sweetheart," Kurt said as Blaine licked his lips in anticipation. "Show me how exactly good you are."

Blaine made to shuffle forwards on his knees, but Kurt held up a hand to stop him. "Wait," he teased as the two pieces of material from Blaine's breeches, which up until this point had been left forgotten at Blaine's feet, sprung up and twisted themselves lengthways. Each piece picked one of Blaine's legs, wrapping themselves around his calves twice before stretching out to the side to knot around the nearest available furniture, immobilising the submissive with his legs spread wide.

"Much better," Kurt said approvingly. "Now, you may continue."

By taking a step backwards, Kurt had ensured that Blaine would have to tip forward in order to reach his cock. With his hands tied behind his back Blaine would have to trust that Kurt would be there to catch him, to stop him crashing painfully face-first into the hard stone floor. It was the ultimate show of faith and oh, he did it beautifully. Without even hesitating Blaine leaned forward, shifting his center of gravity so that his torso swung toward the floor, his back arching upward as he fell so that he could always keep those beautiful eyes on his Dom.

Immediately Kurt's hands whipped out to catch Blaine by the shoulders, supporting the submissive completely as he cantered his hips to nudge the tip of his cock against Blaine's full, waiting lips. Blaine eagerly responded, opening his mouth wide and flicking his tongue out to lap at Kurt's hardness, eyes trained skywards so that Kurt could fully appreciate every expression that flitted across Blaine's face as he serviced his master's cock.

As Blaine sank down, the warm heat of his mouth engulfing Kurt from root to tip, Kurt gasped and tightened his grip on Blaine's shoulders, tense fingers white against the bright red of Blaine's skin. Blaine moaned in response, the arousal thick in his voice as he arched his back, pushed his tight ass high into the air as he worked Kurt over.

Kurt didn't even really have to think about it, his magic took over as an extension of his consciousness as the earthenware pot of lubricant next to his bed danced it's way over to them, resting for a moment on Blaine's lower back just above the swell of his ass before tipping over and drenching Blaine's behind with the thick, warm substance.

Blaine gasped in surprise, and Kurt took the opportunity to thrust forward, burying himself in Blaine's mouth as he offered up a steady stream of soft reassurances. "That's it Blaine, look at you take all of me, so good, so perfect. You take everything I ask of you, don't you my good, sweet boy." He pumped his hips slowly, in time with his words, and Blaine surged up eagerly to meet his thrusts. And when Blaine finally drew back, letting Kurt's dick fall from his lips and sucking in that all-important oxygen that the thick, heavy cock had deprived him of when buried deep in his throat, the slender metal dildo that had crept up behind him pushed against his entrance, breaching the slick ring of muscles with barely a hesitation.

Blaine moaned wantonly as the toy buried itself in his ass, and Kurt couldn't help groaning along with his him. With his magic controlling the thick metal instrument it was as if his very consciousness was infused in the dildo. He could feel every ridge, every tensing of muscle, every spasm as Blaine shuddered around the intrusion. He could feel everything, but at the same time he could also see everything. He could watch as Blaine turned those beautiful pleading eyes up at him, observe as the shudders of pleasure rippled through his submissive's body as it adjusted to the unexpected intrusion. It was complete sensory overload from all angles.

He had no idea how he had ever imagined he would have been able to explain the sensation of wielding magic to Blaine; there was simply nothing else in the world quite like it. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, in Blaine's ass, dancing in feather-light trails over his hips, surrendering to the hot press of his tongue against his dick. There wasn't a single inch of Blaine that he hadn't laid claim to; he was surrounding him, enveloping his submissive with his very being, and the Dominant inside of him roared in appreciation.

"Color, Blaine." he commanded breathlessly.

"Brown. Brown, brown, brown, brown-" Blaine babbled almost incoherently as he thrust his hips backward, desperately seeking out more from the instrument and moaning in despair when it simply moved with him, completely inanimate. "Please, please Sir," he begged, surging forward again to attack Kurt's cock with renewed vigor. Kurt could just about see the shining glint of the metal sticking out from between Blaine's cheeks where he was presenting his ass so very beautifully

"Of course, sweetheart. Let me give you everything you need," Kurt said, and the dildo started to thrust in and out of Blaine's hole. Slowly at first, with long, heavy strokes, then faster and harder in a way that had Blaine keening around Kurt's dick. One of the magical feathers - which were still enjoying their unrelenting assault on the rest of Blaine's body - snuck along his spine to tease at the swell of his ass, dipping in for just a moment to trace across his hole in time with the dildo, before disappearing off to explore another part of Blaine's body. The unexpected action drew a full body shudder that ran from Blaine's ass all the way to his mouth; his mouth that was still sucking and licking at Kurt's cock as if his very being depended on it.

From his vantage point Kurt could just catch glimpses of his submissive's poor, unattended dick hanging thick and heavy between his legs; every part of his body completely overstimulated apart from that key area. The mental image along was almost enough to tip him over the edge, and his fingers tightened even harder against Blaine's shoulders as he pumped wildly into Blaine's mouth. The unexpected movement forced Blaine even further backward onto the dildo, and the change in angle obviously hit that sweet spot inside of Blaine that caused the submissive to cry out in pleasure. It was such a beautiful sound, filled with pure, unadulterated arousal, that that was it for Kurt. His orgasm exploded from him, shuddering down Blaine's throat as Blaine desperately sucked and licked and took down every drop of his master's release.

Kurt slumped forward, gasping heavily as the aftershocks rippled over him. Blaine moaned as Kurt's slowly softening cock slipped from his lips, the object in his ass still pumping at an unrelenting pace. "Please - please Sir," he gasped, his voice stuttering and tripping over his desire. "I'm so close. So close."

Kurt smiled lazily down at his submissive, his submissive who was shaking with the effort it was taking to hold back his orgasm in the face of cock, instrument and feather. "Of course, my good sweet boy. You may come whenever you are ready," Kurt commanded, and in response the three feathers redirected to finally, _finally_, show Blaine's dick some care.

A few gentle swipes was all it took. The sound of Blaine's orgasm as he shuddered forward - collapsing into Kurt's embrace as his release splattered across the stone tiles - was the sound of pure, unadulterated bliss. Kurt was sure that as long as he lived, he would never hear something as perfect as that sound again.

For a long moment there was silence as the two boys recovered, chests heaving and breath labored as they both slowly came back to Kurt straightened up he gently carded his hand through Blaine's hair, offering soft shushes of reassurement as Blaine nuzzled into Kurt's embrace. With a sound almost like a sigh the restraints around Blaine's wrists and thighs disintegrated, collapsing to the floor as nothing more than the fiber and cotton they once were.

"That's it, nice deep breaths for me," Kurt said soothingly as Baine gulped in great big gasps of air, muscles lax and unresisting in the wake of his orgasm. Kurt nudged Blaine back so that he was kneeling upright, weight resting on the backs of his heels as he turned bleary eyes toward Kurt.

"That was - thank you, Sir." Blaine offered softly, and Kurt couldn't help but smile at the warmth of Blaine's words.

"You are most welcome, my darling." Kurt said as he stroked along Blaine's cheek with the back of his hand.

"So it took a while, but I finally managed to - _oh_." Sebastian's bright, enthusiastic voice as he swung open the door without knocking and barrelled straight into the middle of the room was nothing short of a complete shock to the system after the calm tranquility both Kurt and Blaine had settled into post-climax. Kurt twisted toward Sebastian with a raised eyebrow while Blaine simply buried himself closer into Kurt's thigh; obviously not ready to let go of his happy bubble of subspace just yet.

"Well... I guess it's too late to knock now." Sebastian's expression was so comical that Kurt couldn't help but smile. He knew from experience just how much it took to fluster the consort, and given this unexpected show of mortification, he simply couldn't help but push it just a little bit further.

"That's quite alright Sebastian. Would you like to join us?" Kurt asked innocently. His voice was perfectly civil as he gently stroked through Blaine's hair, but his expression was positively wicked as he smiled across the room at the other Dominant.

Sebastian drew up in shock, obviously not entirely sure what Kurt was implying. He gave a short, sharp cough as his head flicked sharply between Blaine, naked and kneeling on the ground, and Kurt standing tall and proud next to his submissive, Dominance practically rolling off him in waves. His expression was twisted in conflict, and for a moment Kurt was sure that Sebastian would simply turn and walk straight back out the way he came. The next moment, though, the carefully crafted mask that Sebastian always seemed to sport was back, and Kurt realized with a start that he was actually disappointed. It was always so much better to see that Sebastian was actually capable of emotion, irrespective of what that emotion might be.

"As much as I would love to stay and give you some clearly much needed tips-." Sebastian said, his voice overly-light as he forced an air of casual indifference, eyes skimming over the mass of fabric, feathers and penetrating instruments that were scattered on the floor around Blaine's feet. Kurt could tell the instant Sebastian's brain recognized the slick metal tube for what it really was, and he grinned to himself as Sebastian's eyes grew wide in surprise despite his clear determination to not display any sort of reaction to the scene in front of him. "-I'm afraid I will have to decline. Simply too busy - the affairs of state wait for no man after all."

"Well I'm sure they'd wait just a little if you asked very nicely." Kurt said, his voice still carrying the easy Dominance he had been directing at Blaine moments earlier. "It's hard to resist a handsome man begging, and I bet you'd beg so very prettily, wouldn't you Sebastian?"

He had meant it as a joke - or at least he was pretty sure he had - expecting Sebastian to snark a biting response in reaction to the preposterous suggestion that he might ever beg for anything. Instead, though, Sebastian simply stared at Kurt, eyes startled as his mouth opened and closed without saying a word. Then he shook his head roughly from side to side, as if to shake whatever mental imagery had become stuck there. Kurt could see him struggling with himself, his mask now well and truly shaken out of place no matter how much he tried to restore it. Eventually even Sebastian had to accept that it was a lost cause, and with a curt "Your Royal Highness," he turned and swept out of the room without so much as a backwards glance at Kurt and Blaine.

"That was mean, Sir." Blaine muttered lazily into Kurt's thigh, head still nestled contentedly against the muscle of Kurt's leg.

"Hmmm? What was that Blaine?" Kurt asked, not entirely sure he had heard correctly.

"It's not fair for you say things like that to Sebastian, he doesn't know how to deal with it," Blaine said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I was just teasing, Sebastian knows that." Kurt gave a soft laugh as he knelt down to wrap his arms around Blaine, pressing a soft kiss to the other boy's cheek as he did so.

"You might have meant to be teasing, Sir, but when you talk like that-" Blaine paused look up at Kurt, his expression shining with submission. "-you're Dominant through and through."

Kurt opened his mouth to argue, to explain that Sebastian wouldn't have seen it that way, that Blaine was just reacting that way because he was a sub. But then he remembered all those tiny glimpses that Sebastian had shown over the past couple of weeks. Those moments where Kurt was convinced that there was something more to Sebastian than simple Dominant.

He didn't say anything else as he rubbed a soothing hand up and down Blaine's back, but inside his mind was racing. It was time, he thought, time for him and Sebastian to have a proper conversation.


End file.
